Riesling Roche Roulée 2021

Radiant, intense golden yellow. In its youth, the aroma stays compact and somewhat closed, revealing at first mostly stony minerality and flint. From the decanter come apricot, orange, orange peel, candied ginger and mango, underpinned by honey, vanilla and dry pastry. With further ageing, these aromas will gain in intensity.

The vines stand in the alluvial valley of Turckheim on gravelly, silty soils. The vineyard is flat, but is shaded by the Vosges mountains considerably later than most south- and east-facing slopes, giving it plenty of evening sun. The soil is well drained and very dry, so yields are naturally low.

Pure Riesling. Olivier Humbrecht, the first Frenchman to hold the title of Master of Wine, farms the domaine's 42 hectares biodynamically; yields run between 30 and 40 hectolitres per hectare, and the wines rest on the lees for at least six months, never leaving the cellar before one to two years. The 2021 fermented for over a year before turning dry, as the acidity of this vintage is particularly high.

The attack is clean, the acidity seems to explode yet remains embedded in a rich yellow and exotic fruit melt. Saline minerality takes hold, a fine tannic structure carries length and depth, and the mouthfeel is almost chalky.

Pumpkin gnocchi with grapefruit sauce and thyme, grilled prawns with bouillabaisse, rouille sauce and crostini, as well as veal rack in basil and blood orange sauce with crispy carrots.

Be sure to decant and serve not too cold in a larger glass, otherwise the aromatics stay closed. The Humbrecht family has been growing wine since 1620; since 2019, Pierre Émile Humbrecht has been working at the domaine as the eleventh generation.