Weinbach, Pinot Gris Altenbourg Quintessence Cuvee d'Or SGN

Weinbach, Pinot Gris Altenbourg Quintessence Cuvee d'Or SGNThe Fallers 2009 Pinot Gris Altenbourg Quintessence de Grains Nobles Cuvee dOr is so viscous, sticky and sweet as to be almost inscrutable at first meeting (and especially following on the heels of their amazing 2010 S. G. N. from this cepage and site). But as it takes on air, butterscotch, cinnamon candy, marzipan and honey in short, some differentiations of this wines confectionary essence emerge, along with striking suggestions of Chartreuse and a

The Fallers’ 2009 Pinot Gris Altenbourg Quintessence de Grains Nobles Cuvee d’Or is so viscous, sticky and sweet as to be almost inscrutable at first meeting (and especially following on the heels of their amazing 2010 S.G.N. from this cepage and site). But as it takes on air, butterscotch, cinnamon candy, marzipan and honey – in short, some differentiations of this wine’s confectionary essence – emerge, along with striking suggestions of Chartreuse and a liqueur of muskmelon. In fact, I can’t recall a more vivid vinous evocation of cantaloupe – every much emphasizing its musky and earthy aspects – than is on display here. This prodigiously persistent elixir is going to last past mid-century and probably reveal far more than the presently dominant confectionary characteristics. The sudden death at age 47 of Laurence Faller this June represents a terrible loss to Alsace viticulture and to wine lovers worldwide, not to mention a tragic blow to her young family and to Collette and Catherine Faller, who along with Catherine’s son Theo (hands-on vineyard manager since 2003) will continue to run Domaine Weinbach. Laurence had taken a virtual leave of absence from her family’s estate in 2010 to devote her attention to raising her two small children, but the biodynamic viticultural approaches and style of vinification that she developed remained as guiding principles, and she had returned to full-time work at her family’s estate in 2013. Picking for Riesling did not begin here in 2010 until after mid-October, and even then, ripeness was possible only thanks to extremely low yields, which were also the reason that harvesting was finished already on October 28. The last time that harvest here started so late was in underripe (and unlamented) 1984, but on that occasion, picking did not conclude until the 25th of November! The generosity in both style and yield of 2011 was welcome here as elsewhere after the challenges and small crop of 2010; and in characteristic Weinbach form, the Fallers managed to convey considerable stylistic clarity and precision to the resultant wines, just as they imparted richness to wines of 2010. The harvest of 2011 did not begin until mid-September, and Riesling was only brought in beginning the end of that month. It’s worth noting, incidentally, that quite a few of the Weinbach 2010s have dropped significant amounts of tartrate crystals, not something that would have adversely affected the balance of these universally high-acid wines – if anything, the opposite – but something that will inevitably end up shimmering in some of your guests’ glasses. As usual, alongside the principle offerings from two vintages I was brought up-to-date by the Fallers on their nobly sweet wines from a preceding vintage, in this case 2009.