Fernand Engel Pinot Blanc 2017
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Tender notes of freshly cut ripe pear appear tentatively on the nose. The palate adds earthy, fruity fullness, accentuated by a little lemon. It has quite a bit of concentration and a lasting fruitiness.
As soon as you arrive, your unreserved attention will be captured by a statue thrust high into the sky, with its arms opened wide before you.
The statue is here because this figure is the very symbol of their surname. The Statue is the perfect embodiment of the qualities of Fernand Engel wines which lie at the root of our wines’ charm and success.
This style of wine is the fruit of a passion, a family heritage and a state of mind. In the space of a generation, this 45 hectare domaine has become one of Alsace’s most important organically farmed vineyards. This success has come about through the production of wines that are generous, full of fruit, environmentally-friendly and accessible to all.
The richness of its soils (Grands Crus, Lieux-dits, Clos du Meyerhof) reveals itself wonderfully in its wines.
Approachable, aromatic and pleasantly plush on the palate, Pinot Blanc is a white grape variety most associated with the Alsace region of France. Although its heritage is Burgundian, today it is rarely found there and instead thrives throughout central Europe, namely Germany and Austria, where it is known as Weissburgunder and Alto Adige where it is called Pinot Bianco. Interestingly, Pinot Blanc was born out of a mutation of the pink-skinned Pinot Gris. Somm Secret—Chardonnay fans looking to try something new would benefit from giving Pinot Blanc a try.
With its fairytale aesthetic, Germanic influence and strong emphasis on white wines, Alsace is one of France’s most unique viticultural regions. This hotly contested stretch of land running north to south on France’s northeastern border has spent much of its existence as German territory. Nestled in the rain shadow of the Vosges mountains, it is one of the driest regions of France but enjoys a long and cool growing season. Autumn humidity facilitates the development of “noble rot” for the production of late-picked sweet wines, Vendange Tardive and Sélection de Grains Nobles.
The best wines of Alsace can be described as aromatic and honeyed, even when completely dry. The region’s “noble” varieties, the only ones permitted within Alsace’s 51 Grands Crus vineyards, are Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Muscat, and Pinot Gris.
Riesling is Alsace’s main specialty. In its youth, Alsace Riesling is dry, fresh and floral, but develops complex mineral and flint character with age. Gewurztraminer is known for its signature spice and lychee aromatics, and is often utilized for late harvest wines. Pinot Gris is prized for its combination of crisp acidity and savory spice as well as ripe stone fruit flavors. Muscat, vinified dry, tastes of ripe green grapes and fresh rose petal.
Other varieties grown here include Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Chasselas, Sylvaner and Pinot Noir—the only red grape permitted in Alsace and mainly used for sparkling rosé known as Crémant d’Alsace. Most Alsace wines are single-varietal bottlings and unlike other French regions, are also labeled with the variety name.