Furstentum Riesling (VT)

Soil:

The Furstentum Grand Cru 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 grapes are picked in an over-ripe state several weeks after the start of harvesting (minimum concentration 408 g/l of sugar).

The development of "noble rot" (Botrytis Cinerea) dries them out on the vine. The juice is delicately extracted in our air-bag press. The slow, gentle pressing avoids crushing the stalks and pips.

The fermentation proceeds at a controlled temperature in stainless-steel vats.

It gets under way of its own accord thanks to the natural yeast found on the grape skins. As for the Botrytis Cinerea, it concentrates the grapes' sugar levels (30 to 80 g/l of residual sugar) and acidity. The resulting sweet wine is rich and complex, with great ageing potential.

Elevage:

The wine is aged 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 4 to 5 more years before being put on sale.

After that it's up to you to enjoy it within the following 10 years, at the height of its aromatic freshness!

Tasting note:

1st tasting
Appearance: Fine yellow-gold colour. Warm, generous yellow-gold, straw-thatch flashes.Nose: Very rich nose of preserved fruit, fritters of flowers (courgette), of seeds (sesame) and white spices between jasmine and preserved crystallized ginger.Palate: Succulently ample of taste and feel; both tasty and warm and at any rate relatively enveloping. Savoury in a lovely, rippling way. Rich, smooth extract giving the impression of delicious, slightly honeyed, preserved flavours. Exquisite retro-olfaction of floral aromas and preserved savours. An absolute delight, with not the slightest heaviness, indeed with Riesling freshness that is much appreciated.
CIDD - A.SEGELLE - March 2004

 2nd tasting
Candied, caramelized nose, of dried currants and nougatine.
Quite good length but fairly average complexity of body and flavour, this is a late-picked wine made essentially with dessicated grapes, with a pronounced dried currant flavour.
Already good to drink with desserts.
Best: 2004/2008
Tasted in December 2003 by Jean-Louis Sampoux and Stéphane Dechevis - Alsace-Terroir, website specializing in Alsace wine.

3rd tasting:
The Riesling was harvested at a Sélection de Grains Nobles degree of ripeness, and ended up as a Vendange Tardive.
It has a very brilliant, golden yellow colour.
The nose is fragrant, mineral, with suggestions of leather, figs and caramel, and a touch of oxidation which makes one think of young cognac.
It is thick and ample on the palate, mellow and soft. The acidity is not really noticeable, yet here we have a balance of very high acidity (8.5g/l expressed in tartaric) and great liqueur (90g/l of residual sugar).
The whole is still dominated by this sugar/acid balance which leaves little room for any mineral quality to come through on the tongue, and even if the nose is already full of expression, patience will be required for the wine to reveal all it is capable of.Very good
Visit to Domaine Paul Blanck in Kientzheim – 12th November 2005, during the "24 Heures du Riesling Alsacien". Thierry MEYER - degustateurs.com 

When & with what:

- Try this as an aperitif, with appetizers, zazouski.
- Sablé de Granny-Smith au caramel de noix. Saveurs - Fév-Mars 2005.