Alsace Riesling Grand Cru Sommerberg E Albert Boxler 2017

Lot presentation

Alsace Riesling Grand Cru Sommerberg E Albert Boxler 2017

The wine

Scaling the Eckberg hillside, these Riesling vines thrive on soils composed of granite and pebbles, features that bring a great minerality to the final cuvée. Located at an altitude of around 400 metres, the vines, with an average age of 40 years, mature well in the cold temperatures which allow the grape variety to develop slower but produce more refined fruits with fine aromas and a long finish. Once harvested by hand, the grapes are delicately pressed for a long time and are cold-settled before spontaneous fermentation takes place using indigenous yeasts. Finally, the wine is aged on lees in used vats before being bottled without fining.
The golden colour reveals a sophisticated and elegant bouquet marked by aromas of citrus fruits and green tea accompanied by smokey and peppery notes. On the palate, the clean, crisp attack blends beautifully with great minerality, leading to a finely saline, flavourful finish. After five to six years in the cellar, the cuvée will develop to its full potential.

An emblematic domain of the Alsace region, Albert Boxler comprises 19 hectares of which half are classed Grand Cru. Founded towards the end of the 1940s, the domain favours clean and careful growing. In any case, the vines planted on steep terrain cannot be reached by machines. The treatments used are organic and the yields are masterful. In the cellar, indigenous yeasts carry out their work, and the wines are matured in old barrels in order to avoid a flavour that is marked by wood, and stirring is banned. The current owner, Jean Boxler, seeks before all else to highlight the particularities of the grape varieties and the terroirs through fine, taut and crystalline wines. This talent is particularly embodied in the careful work of Jean Boxler, who sees wine as a space of freedom and expression. It is therefore as an artist that he produces his lingering wines, possessing a noble texture and great delicacy.