2019 Ostertag Pinot Blanc 'Les Jardins'

Domaine Ostertag

France / Alsace / Domaine Ostertag

The Pinot Blanc Les Jardins is a blend of six small gardens of vines, farmed biodynamically, and located in the town of Epfig with a small part coming from the Clos Mathis parcel in Ribeauvillé. Half the plots are true Pinot Blanc, the other half is Auxerrois which comes, for the most part, from the slopes of lieu-dit Fronholz. They are based on three "natures" of soil: clay-silt, marl-sandstone, and a touch of granite.
Harvesting began with the Auxerrois on 20th September and continued on 25th September for the Pinot Blanc. In 2019, we vinified the two grape varieties separately to better understand them before blending them for bottling. The grapes were gently pressed as whole bunches using a pneumatic press for nine hours. Fermentation took place in old Burgundy barrels, with indigenous yeasts. It underwent its malolactic conversion like all our wines, and was aged for eight months on its lees, still in barrels. It was bottled at the end of August 2020, with a balance of 13.1% alcohol and 3.6g/L of natural residual sugars - dry wine, certified organic and biodynamic.
The result is an uncommonly full-bodied and structured Pinot Blanc, yet bone-dry and mouthwatering. It exudes fresh and fruity aromas of yellow peaches and nectarine. A hint of hazelnut comes out with air. The mouth is thick yet lent tension by zesty minerality. It is an easy-pairing wine with food, though it will be at its best with oysters, terrines, white meat or hard-crust cheese. – Arthur Ostertag

Standard Bottle Out of Stock

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.