Furstentum Riesling

... "A very juicy, youthfully austere riesling with a penetrating, dusty, impressively long finish. This very tactile riesling could use a good five years in the cellar." Jul/Aug 07 - By Stephen Tanzer

Terroir:

Furstentum lies at 400m altitude, facing due south.
It is one of the last remaining vestiges of the sub-Mediterranean era which Alsace experienced.
The soil is very stony and drains well because the calcareous bedrock breaks through.

Vinification:

The juice is extracted with infinite care in our air-bag press. The slow, gentle pressing avoids crushing the stalks and pips.
The must starts fermenting of its own accord thanks to the natural yeast present in the juice, and the fermentation generally lasts from 4 to 10 weeks. It is carried out in stainless-steel vats equipped with temperature control, a medium which maximises the expression of this variety's aromas.

Elevage:

The wine is matured on its lees in large oak barrels for 12 months.
This lees-contact contributes richness to the wine. What is more, the oxygen which passes through the pores of the wood brings about a gentle oxidization of the wine, and the subsequent opening up of its aromas.
The wine is then bottled and aged for 2 to 3 further years before being offered for sale.
This bottle-ageing also plays a role in the wine's development. Here, the opposite of oxidization happens: thanks to certain reactions in the oxygen-free environment, the bouquet develops and takes on subtler nuances.

Wine tasting:

Color: bright yellow reflects

Nose: wild rose, honey notes

Palate: first the cherry stone, then wild rose, a well-integrated acidity, great length with notes of almond at the  finish

Tasted August 2010

When & with what:

As it stands, given its immaturity we recommend drinking it as an aperitif or with starters, terrines, fish, or typical Alsacian dishes like sauerkraut or hot-pot.
In the years to come, it will be a perfect match for warm sea-perch mousseline or delicately-flavoured fish, and eventually for grilled fish.

Scale perception sugar / acid :

This scale is subjective, it depends on your perception of sugar and acidity. Each sugar his coffee differently, each will have a perception threshold and acidity and sugar of its own.

Our commitment on this scale is the result of the perception of sweetness by tasting. These indications are for a period of three years. After this time, the perception of sweetness may evolve.

Position 4 / 10: Grands Crus and terroir wines only : 

young wines from clay and limestone, limestone, marl soils,

young wines from Granite soils from warm vintages,

Matured wines from  cold vintages  in  evolution  after 5 /7 years .

REFERENCES:

- "Note 91(+?)- Very pale yellow. Soil-inflected aromas of peach, brown spices, quinine, crushed stone and caraway seed. Firm, pure and dry, with dominant flavors of flint and minerals. A very juicy, youthfully austere riesling with a penetrating, dusty, impressively long finish. This very tactile riesling could use a good five years in the cellar."
Jul/Aug 07 - By Stephen Tanzer