The Schlossberg is the oldest Grand Cru vineyard in Alsace. Located at an altitude of 230 to 400 meters above sea level, the soils vary enormously in terms of their support. The soils are partly brown, slightly acidic, gravelly and of very good mineral fertility. They are permeable and warm up very quickly. The base is always solid granite rock, on the upper slope the overburden is lower, on the lower slope the soils are more luxuriant and produce richer wines. The steep, south-facing slopes of the Schlossberg ensure optimal exposure to sunlight and, thanks to their steep inclination, demand terraced viticulture. The Schlossberg Grand Cru comes from plots at the top of the hill.
The grapes from the best plots of the Grand Cru site are harvested by hand, followed by the gentle pressing of the whole grapes in pneumatic presses with subsequent spontaneous fermentation with their own yeasts in large old wooden barrels. The aging on the lees gives the wines substance and their special longevity.
Color
Straw yellow, bright and clear.
Nose
Despite the warm vintage, the 2019 Schlossberg Riesling Grand Cru from Domaine Weinbach shows fresh notes reminiscent of sugared grapefruit. With increasing aeration, friable yellow apples appear, followed by yellow stone fruit and mild spicy notes of liquorice and white pepper, underpinned by clearly perceptible minerality with a salty note of oyster shells.
Mouth
The warmth of the vintage is formidably bundled on the palate by the bell-clear acidity, which works through it like a laser sword. The Schlossberg currently shows itself firmly closed, full of vibration and pulsating tension on the palate. Without an ounce of flab on the body, it is sinewy, the acid arc perfectly forfeited in the wine's athletic structure carrying it from the attack into the epically long finish with its salty, cool reverberation. All of these are just fleeting Polaroids of a hasty road trip, though, so it's worth tasting the wine over days. Or cellar it.
Food recommendations from Sebastian Bordthäuser
- Sauerkraut soup with spicy tofu pineapple wan tans
- Baeckeoffe with pike perch and smoked trout
- Baeckeoffe
Allergens | Contains sulfur |
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Winemaker | Domaine Weinbach |
Country | France |
Region | Alsace |
Type | |
Vintage | |
Variety | |
Content | |
Alcohol content | |
Residual sweetness | ■□□□□ |
Acid | 6,8 g/l |
Drinking temperature | 11° |
Manufacturer | Domaine Weinbach, Route du Vin 25, 68240 Kaysersberg / France, Organic certificate: FR-BIO-01 |