Samares et Strobiles 2024

Wine Description for Samares et Strobiles 2024 by Hunter McKirdy

With the Samares et Strobiles 2024, Jolene Hunter and Paul McKirdy impressively prove that Pinot Gris is far more than a harmless white wine. As a “cépage gris”, the variety possesses a dark pigmentation that the duo consistently makes use of: they simply vinify the wine like a red. The result is a tart, multifaceted drop with astonishing grip, bottled as a Vin de France in the traditional Burgundy bottle.

Colour & Appearance

Slightly hazy garnet.

Nose

A beguiling opening spectrum of pale red berries, vineyard peach, zesty ginger, and pear steeped in spices. After aerating in the decanter, cool graphite notes reveal themselves, along with tart-fresh cranberries and aromatic orange zest.

Palate

On the palate, the wine grips energically. The intensive use of skin contact lends it a pronounced phenolic structure and a fine, taut grip. With its slender 12.0% ABV, it shows itself immensely lively, spicy, and savoury.

Finish

The long, echoing finish is reminiscent of cinnamon and crispy apple skin.

Terroir & Origin

The grapes hail from vineyard sites between Riquewihr and Zellenberg in Alsace. The parcel name refers to the surrounding trees – the samara as the fruit of the elm and the strobile as the cone of the larch.

Grape Variety & Vinification

A Pinot Gris skin-fermented like a classic Pinot Noir, completely free from enological chemicals. Following gentle pressing in a hydraulic wooden press, the must undergoes spontaneous fermentation and aging in old Burgundy barrels. Dispensing with the Alsace AOC is a conscious philosophy to allow room for this stylistic freedom.

Food Pairings

An uncompromising partner for food that demands robust dishes: it pairs magnificently with braised leg of lamb, pan-roasted duck breast with quince compote, wild boar ragout, or matured washed-rind cheeses.

Particularities

A fascinating experiment: A Pinot Gris that, through red wine vinification, develops tannins and a savoury, spicy structure that turns the typical varietal profile completely on its head.