Alsace Grand Cru KIRCHBERG de RIBEAUVILLE 2019 - Riesling

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Charming, dry and straighforward

Appellation :

Alsace Grand Cru Kirchberg de Ribeauvillé

Locality:

The Kirchberg hill at Ribeauvillé. Classified as Grand Cru by a ruling of 1975, the wines of these vineyards have been recognized as exceptional for many years. According to Médard Barth, the famous historian of the Alsace vineyards, the wine land was first mentioned in 1328. Today, the specialists confirm that the Kirchberg Grand Cru belongs to the elite of the Alsatian Grands Crus.

Type of soil:

This hill benefits from a South and South East facing positioning which, in conjunction with a very steep slope, confers it an excellent level of sunlight during the fruit's maturing period. The substratum at the foot of the hill is composed of dolomitic marl from the triassic period and dolomite from the lower Muschelkalk. Higher up it is composed of brightly colored sandstone and gypsum marl from the middle Muschelkalk. At an altitude of 270 to 350 meters, the vineyard's soil is rich in clay and often very stony. Our plots of Riesling are in the historical heart of the Grand Cru on the steep Southern slope. The stony core of the soil lies fifty centimeters below the surface. This forces the roots of the old vines (average age of 30 years) to penetrate deeply.

Certified organic grapes for an enhanced terroir expression:

Started in 2005, our conversion to organic production took a concrete form three years later in 2008 with the ECOCERT certification. Since 2012, all the cellar operations are also covered by the European specification so that we can now speak about organic wines.

Wine character:

Again a sunny vintage on the Grand Cru Kirchberg with a wine that reflects perfectly these solar conditions. On the nose, the immediate floral perception traduces the nice maturity of the grapes. Charming on the palate, straight and dry wine with hints of flinty flavors. By its construction and its potentialit it might age well over the years.

Tips for consuming:

Will be a perfect pairing with all the dishes calling for a dry aromatic white wine: Sea food, crustaceans, river fishes, fishes with sauce, scallops, with meat but also mild cheese and gat cheese. It can go with a whole meal.
Can be enjoyed today on its secondary flavors. A couple of years more of bottle ageing will allow it to develop the full complexity of the Kirchberg. Knowing the structure of the Kirchberg wines, this wine will easily face the years.

The 2019 vintage:

This new vintage follows the very generous 2018 vintage which did not always allow the vines to build up reserves. With a dry Autumn 2018 and capricious weather conditions the start of the growth got very heterogeneous. The cold temperature end of April and beginning of May did not improve the situation either and induced very slow growth of the vegetation. Some heavy rains in June, followed by extreme temperatures in July added more stress to the vines.
However, the harvest could start on September 12th and lasted until October 15th. The conditions were not stable at all with hot days and cooler ones. Luckily no heavy precipitations occurred.
Finally, we harvested nice and ripe grapes with great balance.

Press:

Score 96/100 in the Nouveau Guide Bettane+Desseauve 2021