Technical presentation
Bottling : | August 2017 |
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Acquired alcohol : | 11.7° |
Residual sugar : | 0.9 g/l |
Total acidity : | 3.0 g/l H2SO4 (4.5 g/l Acide Tartrique) |
pH : | 3.40 |
Yield : | 79 hl/ha |
Average age of vines : | 41 years |
Sweetness index : | 1 |
Soil : | Oligocene calcareous & gravely soil |
Description of the wine Pinot Blanc 2016
A long time ago, we decided that this wine should be made from both valley floor and hillside mixed together, and a larger proportion of Auxerrois (2/3) versus Pinot-Blanc (1/3). The red limestone of the Rotenberg hill brings structure and acidity, while the gravelly valley floor of the Herrenweg brings ripeness and richness to the blend. In 2016, the combination of the two was very important as the differences were accentuated. In 2016, the vines took a long time to build up richness. This means that the grapes were harvested much longer after the flowering than on an average year. It is quite incredible and rare to see such ripe characteristics in the wines without the higher alcohol often associated with riper aromatics. The vines were also very fertile, so despite the dry summer conditions and small clusters/berries, we harvested a generous crop. This wine fermented quite fast and finished bone dry to our great satisfaction.
Tasting notes
09/2017 : Bright pale yellow colour. The nose shows delicate fruity aromatics, light pears, quince, even some honey. The palate comes with a beautiful texture: elegant, silky, with a soft mouthfeel. The acidity is discreet, sapid, allowing the wine to flow easily. The high skin/low juice ratio in 2016 shows on the dry finish: there is a nice persistence and yet this isn’t a big rich wine. So easy to drink, almost ready now – it will improve for the next year – and so food friendly.