Pinot Auxerrois Vieilles Vignes

Type: aromatic dry white
Grapes: Pinot Auxerrois
13 % alc/vol
Temperature : 10-11 °C
To keep : 5 years

Soil:

Gravel, sand and south-facing clay and limestone land.

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 barrels for 6 to 9 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 matured for 1 or 2 years before being offered for sale. This bottle-ageing also plays a role in the wine's development. Here, the opposite of oxidization happens: reactions in the oxygen-free environment bring about the development of the bouquet, and give it subtler nuances.

Wine tasting:

Beautiful appearance, with a fine, graceful hue of pale primrose yellow. Attractive tints, pale but lively and vigorous. Very bright, that goes without saying!
The nose also is attractive, graceful, sending up wafts of lovely ripe fruit: pawpaw, mango, persimmon, greengage, watermelon… over a lovely backdrop of wax (candlewax), calm, ‘indolent’… and providing a good followthrough, finely crafted, of mineral richness, embellished with honeyed, balsamic spices.Palate forthcoming, courteous, yet not concealing its (German) Swiss accent. Fine-grained and tasty, delicately-textured but offering real, lively pleasure.The whole being agreeably fleshed out, and providing good length (9 caudalies) with its tender, precious finish.
A very good, well-bred wine for its type. For pairing with dishes and starters of some refinement. T: 10-11°C.
Alain Segelle - August 2006

When & with what:

An easy match for white meats and poultry.
Meat kebabs with a salad of mixed lettuce varieties, olive oil, almonds, peanuts.
Veal cutlets.