Alsace Grand Cru KIRCHBERG de RIBEAUVILLE 2015 - Pinot Gris

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Powerfull, generous, racy with a nice balance

Appellation:

Alsace Grand Cru Kirchberg de Ribeauvillé

Locality:

The Kirchberg hill at Ribeauvillé. Classified as Grand Cru by a ruling of 1975, the produce of this land has been recognised as exceptional for very many years. According to Médard Barth, the famous historian of the Alsace vineyards, the wine land was first mentioned in 1328.

Type of soil:

This hill benefits from a South and South West 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 coloured sandstone and gypsum marl from the middle Muschelkalk. At an altitude of 270 to 350 metres, the vineyard's soil is rich in clay and often very stony. Our Pinot Gris Kirchberg are situated on the upper part of the hill.

Wine character:

Wine with a beautiful golden yellow color with amber notes. The nose is complex, with honeyed notes as well as touches of undergrowth. Wine made from grapes partially affected by botrytis with a generous character counterbalanced by a delicate freshness typical of wines from this Grand Cru. An elegant wine before a beautiful persistence.

Tips for consuming:

Ideal wine with accommodated fish as well as white meats. It can also accompany risottos and of course cooked pasta cheeses. This Grand Cru Kirchberg is very versatile and can be drunk throughout the meal.
It can be enjoyed immediately on its fruity side but can still age very well in the bottle to develop its full bouquet. Its structure allows it to wait for years.

The 2015 vintage:

This vintage follows a mild winter, with almost no frost days. The vines started their development mi-April, a normal date. Spring can be qualified as normal in term of rainfalls but also temperatures. The flowering took place mid-June under good conditions. Beginning of July was exceptionally warm. Some grapes suffered from the sun rays. These warm conditions accelerated the development of the vines. Mid-August some precipitations were welcome and helped the vines to finish their maturation cycle. We started harvesting mature and sound fruit on September 8th.