Les Champs des Roches VdF 2023

Wine description for Les Champs des Roches VdF 2023 from Hunter McKirdy

Colour & appearance

Light platinum yellow, crystalline and clear - a Riesling that already shows its purity in the glass.

Nose

Fascinatingly mineral: Pencil abrasion, crushed rock and Verbena open the bouquet, before the Riesling typicity is revealed with Pome fruita touch of white stone fruit and Lemon unfolds. Herbal and spicy notes complete the flavour profile.

Palate

Crystalline and electric - that's how this Riesling presents itself on the palate. With air contact, it develops increasing juiciness: clear, charming acidity, Salt and Iodine, in addition Pollen, Apple and herbal notes. Over two days, the wine gains elegance and silky texture without losing its tension. Lean, powerful, interwoven with fine tannins - a wine of impressive precision.

Departure

Long-lasting with mineral freshness and a vibrant acidity structure that invigorates the palate and demands more.

Terroir & origin

The Burgreben on the eastern flank of Zellenberg are a geological anomaly in Alsace: a pebble hill from the Mindel Ice Age, 25 cm flat gravel layer over Oligocene limestone at 230 m altitude. These free-draining, east-facing soils warm up quickly and create ideal conditions for early-ripening Riesling - an exceptional mineral phenomenon in a region dominated by limestone marl.

Grape variety & vinification

Pure sorter Riesling, Hand-picked according to pH value and acidity. Whole-cluster pressing for 8-10 hours in a hydraulic basket press (Champagne pressing), spontaneous fermentation in Burgundy barrels over 10 years old. Nine months on the lees without racking and addition of SO₂, only minimal sulphitisation before bottling. Natural vinification that maximises the expression of the terroir.

Food pairing suggestions

Oysters, Scallops, Sashimi, Steamed monkfish with herbs, Goat cheese or matured Comté. The salty minerality harmonises perfectly with seafood.

Special features

A natural wine from Hunter McKirdy that combines precision with vibrancy. The geological peculiarity of the Kieselterroir gives this Riesling an extraordinary mineral depth - a wine that gains complexity over time.