Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Bottled in February 2014 with 13.6% alcohol and 11 grams of unconverted sugar, the 2012 Riesling Grand Cru Hengst shows a pure and intense, herbal flavored, slightly smoky bouquet of ripe and concentrated white stone fruit aromas. On the palate this is a wild, untamed horse Riesling: juicy, round and intense, complex and powerful, still young but very expressive. This wine will get finer with more years of bottle age. Very promising! Rating: 92+
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Wine Enthusiast
Stony, peachy notes are evident on the nose. The palate confirms these and majors on that stony, structural framework. Pervaded as it is by ripe stone fruit flavor of yellow plum and peach, there is a pleasant bitter edge, reminiscent of honey. This is an exciting tightrope walk between the slightest smidgeon of residual sweetness and electric acidity, finishing dry. Ready now, will drink well until 2018.
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Wine Spectator
Honeysuckle and fresh earth notes waft through this pretty, balanced white, with poached quince, candied grapefruit zest, anise and dried papaya flavors. Juicy on the palate but dry overall, with a lively, spiced finish. Drink now through 2020.
Riesling possesses a remarkable ability to reflect the character of wherever it is grown while still maintaining its identity. A regal variety of incredible purity and precision, this versatile grape can be just as enjoyable dry or sweet, young or old, still or sparkling and can age longer than nearly any other white variety. Somm Secret—Given how difficult it is to discern the level of sweetness in a Riesling from the label, here are some clues to find the dry ones. First, look for the world “trocken.” (“Halbtrocken” or “feinherb” mean off-dry.) Also a higher abv usually indicates a drier Riesling.
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.