Alsace Grand Cru KIRCHBERG de RIBEAUVILLE 2014 - Pinot Gris

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Powerfull, dry, 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:

With this wine we come back to the roots of the Kirchberg. With 5 g/l residual sugar and a nice and ripe acidity we get a great racy wine. The nose is subtle with fruity and smoky notes. The palate represents the full expression of Grand Cru Kirchberg : a wine which tastes dry, with body and salinity combined with the typical acidity from 2014. The balance between the body on the palate and the long and sapid aftertaste is remarkable.

Tips for consuming:

An ideal wine to set with crustaceans, scallops, fishes, and white meats. This Grand Cru Kirchberg is very adaptable and may be drunk throughout an entire meal.
It can be appreciated immediately, but does benefit from ageing in the bottle to develop its bouquet and complexity. Its structure will allow it to wait for some years.

The 2014 vintage:

After a short winter break, the growing cycle started exceptionally early beginning of April under very dry conditions (16 and 26 mm of rain in March resp. April). The few May precipitations allowed the initial development of the vines. The flowering took place in June under nice and sunny conditions. Some rain came in July and allowed a good development of the grapes. A relatively fresh month of August helped to maintain the acidities in the fruits during the maturation process. The harvest started mi September under ideal weather conditions with only 35 mm avec the 4 weeks of harvest.