Cave de Hunawihr, Gewurztraminer Réserve

Country: France  Region: Alsace  Vintage: 2015

Category: White Wine   Color: White

Producer: Cave de Hunawihr

Hunawihr was founded in 1954. Today, Hunawihr is equipped with a renovated winery, 110 members and 200 hectares of vineyards. Eighty percent of the vineyards are situated in Hunawihr and its surroundings, Riquewihr and Zellenberg. The Grand Cru holdings amount to 13 hectares and include Rosacker, Froehn, Sporen, Schoenenbourg and Osterberg. The wines are fresh, clean, dry and aromatic, with good balancing acidity. Of Rosacker's 26 hectares in total, Hunawihr owns 11 hectares, of which 60% of this is Riesling planted on clay and limestone soils. The Grand Cru Riesling Rosacker is Hunawihr's flagship wine. It is versatile, with the ability to age and develop, as well as being a delight to drink now.

Winemaker: Nicolas Garde

Vineyards:

Sheltered from oceanic influence by the Vosges Mountains, the Alsace wine region has a semi-continental climate which stays sunny and dry throughout the growing season, and this lengthens the ripening period for the grapes. The slopes surrounding Hunawihr, a picturesque village of half-timbered houses and a 14th century church, are some of the most celebrated in Alsace for grape-growing. Cave de Hunawihr’s fruit is sourced from 25 year-old vines grown in vineyards running along the south and south-east facing hillside slopes around the village, at an altitude of 250-320 metres. The vineyards cover an area of 36 hectares, located on a geological fault line across Ribeauvillé which gives soils composed of clayey limestone marl and chalky gravels.

Vinification:

This Gewürztraminer was made from a blend of micro-parcels from the Hunawihr vineyards, picked at optimum ripeness. The temperature controlled fermentation took place between 16-18°C for three weeks, followed by four months in stainless steel tanks to settle before careful filtration. No malolactic fermentation was allowed to take place.

Tasting Notes:

Nice straw yellow colour with an elegant silver gold tint. The nose is very complex with very delicate perfumes of lychee, mango and particularly rose. Full-bodied, this off dry wine has a refreshing acidity with roses lingering on the long finish.

Food Suggestion: A lovely wine to drink with soft cow's-milk cheeses, or try with Thai cuisine.

Closure: Stelvin  ABV:13.1%