Description

This Riesling from the Bohn estate in Alsace comes from a single-vineyard selection of 70-year-old vines in the heart of the Schieferberg (Chapelle Oberhagel). This exceptional south-facing schist terroir produces a wine intended for those who appreciate ripe, precise minerality.

Tasting notes

The nose reveals aromas of pineapple, candied yellow fruits and golden kiwi, enveloped in a scent of beeswax. Creamy and tangy, the palate is reminiscent of lemon tart; it is balanced by a freshness of great finesse and a salty finish. Once decanted, the wine will unfold its minerality with a delicate length.

In the vineyard, in the cellar

This Riesling from the Bohn estate in Alsace comes from a plot-selection of 70-year-old vines in the heart of the Schieferberg (Oberhagel).

The unique schist or volcanic sandstone terroirs are managed using organic methods. Soil maintenance is carried out with care; the diversity and preservation of local flora and fauna is fundamental to the estate’s vineyard. Native grass cover grows on the ground; the grass is not mown but rolled into a vegetative mat. Here, chemicals are avoided through the practice of ecological and environmentally respectful viticulture by independent winegrowers who follow their own path. But today the estate has decided to formalise its approach by beginning its conversion to organic farming.

Yields are deliberately low and all the vintages are harvested by hand. Bernard is also the estate’s oenologist; exacting in his standards of quality, he explains that the wine must reflect, without artifice, the terroir and climate from which it originates. He advocates a minimalist winemaking approach without the use of oenological products. For the majority of the cuvées, the winemaking process concludes with a long ageing period in old Alsatian casks or barrels to achieve the balance and persistence of great gastronomic wines; mineral, fresh, light, persistent and very easy to drink.

What to eat with a Bohn Estate Alsace Riesling Schieferberg Chapelle Oberhagel?

• Chicken tagine with candied lemon
• Monkfish cheeks with saffron
• Salmon rillettes
• Cod flavoured with coriander and lime
• Fine fish with exotic flavours
• Sushi, sashimi, maki
• Mature goat’s cheese
• Young Parmesan.