2006 Ostertag Muenchberg Grand Cru Riesling

Domaine Ostertag

France / Alsace / Domaine Ostertag

Muenchberg means “mountain of the monks” and was first planted in the 12th century by the Cistercian monks. The total size of the Grand Cru is 17 Ha, and Ostertag owns 2.05 Ha, of which 1.65 Ha are planted with Riesling.
Muenchberg is one of the most unique grands crus of Alsace because of its very particular soil of red sandstone and volcanic sediments. The vineyard is based in the village of Nothalten. It is a wonderful south-facing amphitheatre of vines in a closed valley in the Vosges foothills, protected at the west by a big mountain (Ungersberg: 901
m). The altitude ranges between 250 and 300m which prevents from excessive heat and helps to keep all complexity in the wines. Like all the domaine's vineyard the Riesling vines are farmed using biodynamic principles, and certified organic.
The Muenchberg Riesling has incomparable elegance and length, with a delicate and fleshy structure. In has charming entry and stretches out on a fine and everlasting finish, nearly salty and full of texture, so typical of the Muenchberg.

April, 2010

David Schildknecht

Wine Advocate

90 points

Distilled apricot, purple plum, and gentian; fruit pits; and citrus oil on the nose of Ostertag’s 2006 Riesling Muenchberg lead to an oily, concentrated, palpably dense, spicy, esterous palate. The persistence of fruit pit and citrus rind bitterness as well as crushed stone lend this a certain severity but the wine’s richness in glycerin helps ameliorate that and its wafting floral character adds fascination to the finish. This unusually well-concentrated and robustly healthy 2006 should merit your attention for at least the next half-dozen years. 90 points.

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About Domaine Ostertag

André Ostertag is clearly one of the most dynamic producers in Alsace today, and certainly one the highest rated. Where in many areas Alsace has fallen behind star producers in Germany and Austria, Ostertag is one that bucks this trend. This is a family-run property comprising 12 hectares spread over more than 75 small plots of vines within five villages: Epfig (55%); Nothalten (34%); Itterswiller (4%); Ribeauvillé (6%); and Albé (1%).
André is passionate and free-thinking, and his wines reflect this. Biodynamism was extended to 100% of the domaine in 1998, precluding any use of herbicides, chemical fertilisers and insecticides. All viticultural work is done manually, including harvest. In the cellar, press cycles are long and gentle, fermentations are long and conducted without artificial yeasts, and wines are left on their lees. Barrels are used for Pinot Blanc, Gris (sometimes) and Pinot Noir. There is little or no filtration of any of the wines, which rank among the finest in all of Alsace today.
Biodynamic producer

About

Andre Ostertag's father founded the domain back in 1966 and handed him the keys to the cellar in 1980, when he was 21.
He sees wine as a language that speaks to the senses of sight, smell, taste and touch - and one that calls upon the grower's critical faculties, as well as memory (and memories). His winemaking is a "very soft process" that relies exclusively on preserving the living matter - slowly shaping the wine over a long time. Pressing is a soft, slow and long process (eight to 12 hours), fermentations are slow and natural, wines are kept on their lees for quite a while, well-considered rackings are used to let wines breathe and oak is likewise used purely for oxidative purposes - and only for varieties suited to it.