Julien Schaal Riesling Grand Cru ‘Les Arènes Granitiques’ Sommerberg

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Julien Schaal Riesling Grand Cru ‘Les Arènes Granitiques’ Sommerberg has a lovely, intense minerally nose with complex lime fruit, a touch of honey and some spice. Rich but bone dry palate with lovely mineral extract and intensity. Quite tight with good acid structure; good potential for development. Aging potential of 8-10 years.  Riesling Grand Cru ‘Les Arènes Granitiques’ Sommerberg will go well wit sea fish in lemon sauce, scallops brochettes or grilled king prawns.

Sommerberg is reputed one the greatest grand Cru vineyards of Alsace, documented as having produced some of the region’s finest wines since the year 1214. From old vines on the steepest part of the Grand Cru. The granite soils give the wine an intense lime flavour and a touch of honey. Bone dry, the balanced acids give complexity and length. Dominantly granitic with black and white micas,. This soil, is rich in mineral elements, and ideal for vine growing. From a 45 years old vineyard, the Sommerberg is situated on a very steep slope (45°), face due south, and exceed 400 metres of elevation. Viticulture was first recorded at Niedermorschwihr in 1214, and the name of Sommerberg was jealously reserved for this particular vineyard from 17th century onwards.

Alsace wine region has a unique combination of great soils types that forms a real  ‘kaleidoscope” of geologies. Pink sandstone, blue schist, limestone, granite, gypsum and volcanic rocks are amongst the most interesting soil. You can find all of them on grand cru vineyards. They believe that Riesling is maybe the best variety to translate those characters into wines. In 2011, Olivier Biecher and Julien Schaal have launched the winery exclusively dedicated to Alsace Grands Crus wines. From Andlau to Thann, they found numbers of interesting vineyards that all have strong individual character. Today Julien and Sophie are trying their best  to get the full potential of the vineyards into the wine style they love!

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