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2021 Riesling Grand Cru “Muenchberg”
Domaine OstertagThough I am, admittedly, more of a drink-it than save-it kind of gal, I recently tasted a bottle of 2011 Muenchberg, and my notes have the kind of brevity that only comes with amazement: full, textured, delicious...and, next to them, a star (with a circle around it, to boot!). Fast-forward to tasting this current release, I expected nothing short of brilliance. Without a decade of age, the wine crackled on the palate. It is decidedly lean in its youth, but with hints of glycerin, apple wax, and resin that will evolve into lavish layers as it ages. If you have more patience than I do, you’ll buy a case and visit it over the next ten-plus years.
—Allyson Noman
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2021 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Riesling |
Appellation: | Alsace Grand Cru |
Country: | France |
Region: | Alsace |
Producer: | Domaine Ostertag |
Winemaker: | André Ostertag |
Vineyard: | 1.7 ha; From the Alsatian “muench” meaning monk, this vineyard is named for the Cistercian monks who originally planted vines here in the 11th-12th centuries. In a south-facing amphitheater in Nothalten at the foot of the Vosges mountains, the Muenchberg site combines volcanic sediment and the pink sandstone of the Vosges with a touch of limestone. |
Soil: | Volcanic Sediment, Pink Sandstone |
Farming: | Biodynamic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 13.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
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2020 Riesling “Fronholz”
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Fronholz’s vibrant mix of fruit and earth, flesh and structure, is Domaine Ostertag’s hallmark.
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2022 Riesling “Clos Mathis”
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2021 Pinot Gris “Fronholz”
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Fronholz is a vineyard composed primarily of quartz, and the taste of an Ostertag wine from here is reminiscent of this stone: sleek, transparent, and brilliant.
2021 Les Vieilles Vignes de Sylvaner
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Beautiful aroma, silky mouthfeel, fresh with old-vine weight, interesting, and downright delicious.
2021 Riesling “Heissenberg”
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Lush fruit, stony flavors, and completely dry...you will be thinking twice about why you didn’t buy more!
2019 Riesling “Le Berceau, lieu dit Pflanzer”
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Imagine if in Alsace, deep beneath the earth, there were a Riesling aquifer...
2022 Les Vieilles Vignes de Sylvaner
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Beautiful aroma, silky mouthfeel, fresh with old-vine weight, interesting, and downright delicious.
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Hot stone and white pepper liven up the backbone of this extraordinarily complex, unique white.
About The Producer
Domaine Ostertag
To call André Ostertag a revolutionary winemaker is to tell just half the story. He is a pioneer, certainly, but also an ardent environmentalist. After training in Burgundy, André returned to the family domaine in Alsace with renewed zeal: he lowered yields considerably and introduced viticultural and vinification techniques from other regions to his own home ground. He looks for the nuance of terroir rather than the typicity of a grape varietal. André rejects formulaic, scientifically engineered wines, and since going biodynamic in 1997, has been an active member of the natural farming community.
About The Region
Alsace
Tragically, Alsace might be the most misunderstood wine region of France. In spite of its long history of viticulture and tremendous diversity of pedigreed terroirs, a past fraught with marketing mishaps has left consumers baffled as to what exactly to expect inside one of these mysterious tall, thin bottles.
The good news, on the other hand, is that a new wave of quality-oriented growers is working hard to put Alsace in its rightful place as one of the world’s most fascinating sources of fine white wine. By embracing tradition, respecting terroir, and making a concerted effort to better communicate the countless virtues their wines have to offer, they have succeeded in putting Alsace back on the map.
Crafted from a number of grape varieties and beautifully interpreting the region’s mosaic of soil types, our Alsace imports are by and large dry whites offering exceptional versatility at table. While each of these selections is ready to be uncorked tonight, the finest among them are also capable of maturing for many, many years in a cool cellar. Expect kaleidoscopic aromatics, lively acidities, and loads of terroir transparency in these skillfully crafted masterpieces. Enjoy a foray into the thrilling world of the world’s most underrated wine region, and certainly do not hesitate to contact our sales staff with any questions as you take off on this mouth-watering adventure.
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Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
I want you to realize once and for all: Even the winemaker does not know what aging is going to do to a new vintage; Robert Parker does not know; I do not know. We all make educated (hopefully) guesses about what the future will bring, but guesses they are. And one of the pleasures of a wine cellar is the opportunity it provides for you to witness the evolution of your various selections. Living wines have ups and downs just as people do, periods of glory and dog days, too. If wine did not remind me of real life, I would not care about it so much.
Inspiring Thirst, page 171