Winemaker Notes
The finest imaginable mousse, continues with a classic toasty nose and ends with a palate that is taut, creamy and saline. Borne of 50 year-old vines densely planted, it needs no dosage.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This shows aromas of sliced apples, dried lemons, fresh nuts and flowers with some earthiness to it. Medium- to full-bodied, structured and bone-dry with vivid acidity and a gentle fizz. Chalky texture in the finish. From organically grown grapes.
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Vinous
Disgorged this very morning a la volée, this Crémant d’Alsace Chardonnay extra brut is based on the 2019 vintage and made from some of the oldest Chardonnay vines in Alsace. They were planted in 1968 in a limestone plot just above the Zotzenberg. The base wine is aged in foudre, no sulfites are added before tirage, and there is only a tiny addition of sulfur dioxide at disgorgement. This always is a stand-out for its savory nature and ability to age. This bottle spent 30 months on lees, but the batch will be disgorged later. A nose of peppery rye bread and Golden Delicious apple shows off the more oxidative style of this rather gastronomic Crémant. It is a more decadent style, brimming with freshness and character and made for the table with all its umami richness. This is about texture and saltiness, not fruit. An individualistic Alsace treasure worth following vintage for vintage. Ages well. Zero dosage. (Bone-dry)
Representing the topmost expression of a Champagne house, a vintage Champagne is one made from the produce of a single, superior harvest year. Vintage Champagnes account for a mere 5% of total Champagne production and are produced about three times in a decade. Champagne is typically made as a blend of multiple years in order to preserve the house style; these will have non-vintage, or simply, NV on the label. The term, "vintage," as it applies to all wine, simply means a single harvest year.
Small but mighty, this picturesque region in northeastern France is renowned for its white wines produced by passionate families whose winemaking roots span generations and even centuries. Nestled between the Vosges Mountains and the Rhine River, Alsace benefits from a sunny, dry climate and a long growing season. It is one of the most geologically diverse regions in the world — one of the many reasons why Alsace rocks!
Alsace wines include dry, mineral-driven Riesling, earthy Pinot Gris, refreshing Pinot Blanc, exuberant Gewurztraminer, elegant Pinot Noir, and more. From traditional-method sparkling wines to easy-drinking AOC Alsace, to complex Grand Cru bottlings from 51 distinct sites, and rich, late harvest wines, Alsace produces a wine for every occasion. Most Alsace wines are single-varietal bottlings and are labeled with the grape name. The region is also one of the greenest wine-producing areas in France, with 36% of its vineyard area certified organic.
Riesling, the region’s calling card, is dry, fresh and floral in its youth, developing complex mineral and flint character with age. Gewurztraminer is known for its signature spice and lychee aromatics. Pinot Gris is prized for its combination of crisp acidity and savory spice as well as ripe stone fruit flavors. Pinot Blanc is an affable food partner or porch sipper. Pinot Noir, the only red grape in AOC Alsace, is now authorized in three Grand Cru areas and is also used for Crémant d’Alsace sparkling rosé. Any bottle you choose will offer deliciousness, pleasure and value that is unprecedented in other wine regions.