Josmeyer Riesling Grand Cru Hengst 2018

The name of HENGST means stallion.

Beginning of the year is mild and remembers to some aged people the winter of the year 1956. Cooler weather conditions are starting from mid January with minus temperature and snow (10-15cm) in the plain of Alsace. Spring season start on mid March. Eastern was superb and April, with some summer temperatures, allow a prompt departure of the vegetative cycle. Early June the flowering is finished and the hope of a good vintage is there. June is quite humid (140mm rain) with some heavy hail storms. August is cloudy, fresh and rainy (55mm). In spite of such summer weather conditions the vines resist against the different diseases and the maturity of the grapes are quite high on the end of August; exceptionally high. Due to the fact of our growing in bio-dynamy (organic), this maturity is in the JOSMEYER Estate even higher than the average of the Alsace vineyard, and the difference is nearly 1,5% potential of alcohol. For these reasons we start our harvest the Wednesday 29th of August, the earliest date since the foundation (1854) of our Estate.

The grapes were hand picked and whole-bunch pressed very slowly and gently in pneumatic presses over 5-8 hours to give a clean must and a beneficial amount of skin contact. Transferred to thermoregulated stainless steel tanks the juice then began a natural fermentation using only its own natural yeast which lasted for one month. The fermentation was initially temperature controlled but was eventually allowed to proceed at its own pace to allow the wine to develop its own character and complexity. The wine stabilized in stainless steel tanks naturally during the winter season and, following a very gentle filtering, was bottled in March 2007 before the heat of summer to preserve the natural carbonic gas (a natural anti-oxidant). Malolactic fermentation is always avoided at Josmeyer and no chaptalization takes place.

Tasting Note: Vinified exclusively in old oak foudre, the 2007 is gorgeously fresh and elegant with richness on the finish.

Food Pairing: Seafoods, fish, sushis, sashimis, carpaccio or tartar of fish, goat cheese …