Technical presentation
| Bottling : | February 2004 |
|---|---|
| Acquired alcohol : | 13.4° |
| Residual sugar : | 9 g/l |
| Total acidity : | 6.2 g/l H2SO4 |
| pH : | 3.2 |
| Yield : | 31 hl/ha |
| Average age of vines : | Vineyard planted in 1973 |
| Terroir : | Clos Hauserer |
| Sweetness index : | 2 |
| Soil : | Calcareous Marl from the Oligocene period, East facing, Very gentle slope |
Description of the wine Riesling Clos Häuserer 2002
This little vineyard is located on the bottom of the Hengst vineyard. The soil is made of marl deposits, relatively thick (3 to 4 feet deep) on top of calcareous rocks. Often the Clos Häuserer shares the highest acidity level in our cellar with the Clos Windsbuhl, but in 2002, the Clos Häuserer is the winner by far. Marl warms up very slowly, especially in years when rainfalls are more numerous, keeping more acidity in the grapes. Thanks to the small crop, there was no rot at all in this vineyard and it helped achieve a good ripeness. The fermentation was slow but consistent.
Tasting notes
01/2004 : This wine was for a long time one of the toughest style to taste in the cellar. Usually such long fermentation always include a secondary malo-lactic fermentation. With no explanation I could possibly give, beside its strong acidity and low pH, this wine didn’t go through second fermentation. The result is a wine that shows vibrant minerality on the nose, almost earthy –wet stones character. The palate is dry and crisp, with a long finish. The acidity is well balanced with a rich structure that should give this wine an incredible ageing potential.
The Clos Häuserer of Wintzenheim
This soil rich in clay and chalk gives an important structure to the Riesling grown in the Clos Haüserer. Although this vineyard benefits from a warm and precocious climate, ripeness is achieved much later than the surrounding terroirs.