Josmeyer – Riesling Hengst Grand Cru Samain 2011

Cushioned between the rolling vineyards of Wintzenheim, near Colmar, Domaine Josmeyer has been a pioneer in biodynamics since 2000 under the leadership of the late Jean Meyer. It is now run by his daughters, Isabelle and Céline. The estate is spread over 90 plots including the Hengst and Brand Grands Crus. Crafted with minimum intervention, the wines are delicate, deep, balanced, with a dry edge allowing minerality to shine through. The Artist Series are produced from the valley on alluvial soil: they are elegant, soft and voluptuous. The calcareous and marl soils of Hengst vineyard delivers rich and full-bodied whites while the deep granite soils of Brand deliver incisive and fine structured cuvées. Both Grand Crus are shaped to age gracefully.

Biodynamic. The vineyard is situated on a 360 meter high slope and is essentially a mixture of limestone from the Vosges, chalky marl and layers of red, brown, green and beige sediment which produce fuller bodied wines that are a little untamed in youth (Hengst means stallion) but develop intense aromatics, complexity and richness with age. Hand harvested. Natural fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Aged 18 months on the lees in large century old foudres. RS 8g/l.

SAMAIN is the name of the most important celtic holiday, which marks the end of the harvest and the beginning of the dark period in the year. These cuvée are a selection of old vines and come from Céline's personal cellar

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