2021 La Grange de l’Oncle Charles, La Belle Colline Avant Garde

Grand Cru Shoenenburg in Riquewhir

From both ends of the south-facing Grand Cru Schoenenbourg that has been planted with all old Alsace varieties on gypsum marls in the past years, Jérôme François’ Vin de France 2021 La Belle Colline displays a clear, white-golden color and initially exhibits Gewurztraminer aromas most of all on the pure, intense and elegant nose that releases lychee, pastry and rose petal notes intermingled with lemony limestone freshness, iodine and Kinty nuances. It is fascinating how well the wine develops with aeration. After nine days poured from the same bottle, all Gewurz notes have nearly disappeared, and what comes out is pure Schoenenbourg or an exceptional grand cru: finely crushed, calcareous stones, iodine and mocha, super One tannins and intense yet reOned and very elegant, utterly complex and pure fruit with flinty nuances and ripe pineapple aromas. Elegant and even filigreed on the palate, this is a dry, fresh and transparent, lush and generous yet always Onessed Schoenenbourg with an intense texture, saline acidity, One tannin bitters and citrus fruit Kavors on the elegant and well-structured Onish. This is not the richest or boldest Schoenenbourg, and one erroneously tends to say not the most complex one either. But in reality, this is a highly complex Schoenenbourg that is uplifted by its finesse and fine minerality, which is all the more remarkable since the 2021 is a supple, rich and almost sweet, even heavyweight grand cru whose saline, finely tannic and absolutely refined finish slims and mineralizes this marvel with every second. And there are plenty of seconds for the aftertaste. 14.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted from lot Schoe21 in February and March 2023. – Stephan Reinhardt