Technical presentation
| Bottling : | September 2005 |
|---|---|
| Acquired alcohol : | 14.7° |
| Residual sugar : | 15.0 g/l |
| Total acidity : | 4.1 g/l H2SO4 / (6.3 g/l Tartrique) |
| pH : | 3.6 |
| Average age of vines : | 23 years |
| Terroir : | Rotenberg |
| Sweetness index : | 2 |
| Soil : | Red limestone Oligociene period, Steep slope, West North West facing |
Description of the wine Pinot Gris Rotenberg 2004
The Rotenberg hill is slightly detached from the Vosges mountains, and therefore offers a small West-Northwest facing (theHengst is on the South part). The climate is cooler, as the vineyard is in relative altitude (300-350m) and the vineyard enjoys mostly afternoon and evening sunshine. The soil is extremely rocky (calcareous), with a very thin topsoil, extremely red, because rich in iron. The roots do struggle to find their ways in the soil and as a result, the vines grow very slowly, carrying a very small crop. Noble rot is often a characteristic of this vineyard, but not in 2004. The grapes were harvested healthy and the fermentation was very steady.
Tasting notes
01/2006 : The Rotenberg shows strong toasty, nutty, almost earthy flavours at the moment. The white fruit aromas so typical of this vineyard are still overpowered by the lees character and strong calcareous influence. The palate is rich, showing some roundness, easily balanced with a good acidity and quite powerful finish. I expect this wine to open a lot in the near future.
The Rotenberg of Wintzenheim
The Rotenberg is the summit of the hill whose south facing slopes make up the Grand Cru Hengst. The steep slopes of Rotenberg are west facing and look onto the Haut Landsbourg Chateau. The point where the slope turns towards the north is the start of a small lieu-dit called Hinterberg, within the Rotenberg.