Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2022 Riesling Grand Cru Rangen Clos Saint-Théobald is from 50+-years-old vines in the clos that includes the upper plots of Schoffit's regular Rangen. The nose is very pure yet very intense as well, offering the classic flintiness and iodine notes combined with fully ripe, bright, elegant and intense, spicy-scented fruit. Full-bodied, round and rich on the palate, this is a generous, powerful and textured yet always elegant and saline Riesling with some grams of residual sugar (4.1 grams per liter) yet the richness of old vines and their mineral, expression as well. This is a superb Rangen Riesling that Alexandre describes as "one of the best we ever did." The finish is in fact very long, intense and seriously structured and provided with persistent salinity. 13.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in Colmar, November 2024.
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Wine Spectator
Elegant and seductive, with a stylish mix of warm hay, fresh apricot and poached pear notes. Accents of sweet spices and white meadow blossoms add complexity, with just enough honeyed richness to round off the edges, yet this stays focused and driven from beginning to end. Salty mineral and petrol elements line the long, concentrated and savory finish. Excellent. Drink now through 2032. 300 cases made, 40 cases imported.
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.