Pinot Gris Sonnenglanz Grand Cru 2017

The Pinot Gris Sonnenglanz Grand Cru 2017 is a delightful Alsatian Pinot Gris grown on the limestone soil of the Sonnenglanz Grand Cru site near Riquewihr. Juiciness, creaminess and freshness sit closely together, threaded through with a pronounced minerality. 14.0% ABV gives it weight, while the acidity keeps the wine lively.

The Sonnenglanz vineyard lies just northwest of the village, at the very edge of the foothills, at 220 to 270 metres and facing southeast. The microclimate is very favourable, with rainfall as low as barely more than 500 millimetres a year. The subsoil consists of Tertiary conglomerate from the limestones of the Rhine Graben, interlayered with Eocene-Oligocene marls. The result is a heavy, well-structured and very stony limestone soil.

Pinot Gris, single-varietal. Domaine Trapet Alsace farms its 15 hectares according to biodynamic principles: in the vineyards, échalas, traditional wooden stakes, support each vine individually, the soils are covered with cover crops, and copper and sulphur are kept to a minimum. Andrée Trapet took over the family estate in 2002 and runs it together with Jean-Louis Trapet; since 2018, the day-to-day work has been in the hands of sons Pierre and Louis.

On the nose, plenty of fresh fruit reminiscent of citrus, orange, quince and honeydew melon, along with notes of ginger and blossom. On the palate, the exotic impression intensifies, carried by creaminess and saline minerality. The residual sweetness is noticeable, balanced by acidity that keeps the wine drinking easily.

A wine for bold cuisine: goat cheese baked in brick pastry on caramelised fennel, spiny lobster with grilled melon and coriander, or crisply fried duck with orange-ginger sauce and green peas.

Sonnenglanz is one of the estate's four Grand Cru sites, alongside Schlossberg, Schoenenbourg and Sporen. The clay-limestone soil here is regarded as a terroir for opulent Pinot Gris.