Auxerrois Rotenberg 2021

Radiant golden yellow. The nose brings together quince, pear and apricot alongside toasted almonds, freshly churned butter, candied ginger and a hint of flint; there is also a note of honey on toasted baguette with salted butter. Underneath lies a chalky note that lends the whole depth.

The Rotenberg lies on the western slope of the Grand Cru Hengst, on sparse, rocky red limestone opposite a forest. A quiet spot where the grapes ripen slowly. The oldest part of the plot was planted in the early 1950s; even Émile Zind, Olivier Humbrecht's grandfather, was attached to this vineyard. The Humbrecht family has been growing wine since 1620, with Olivier Humbrecht the first Frenchman to earn the title of Master of Wine. He farms 42 hectares biodynamically, having converted the first five hectares back in 1996.

Pure Auxerrois. In the past, this site was vinified separately but always ended up blended into the estate's classic Pinot Blanc. In 2021 the decision was made to set it apart, because this wine shows everything that defines this vineyard. Yields remained very low; after a long fermentation and lees ageing, the wine was vinified dry, at 12.5% vol.

Cool finesse and invigorating freshness define the attack. The juicy fruit gains grip from a fine yet present tannic structure. The result is mouth-watering and easy-drinking, without sacrificing the complexity that justifies bottling this grape variety on its own.

Asparagus with salted butter, pear and sorrel, puff pastry vol-au-vents filled with poultry, veal sweetbreads and mushrooms, or skin-seared pikeperch with a shallot and white wine sauce and apricots.

The 2021 vintage is the first standalone bottling of this site. In the cellar, patience is a guiding principle: at least six months of lees contact, and no wine leaves the estate before one to two years of ageing.