Riesling Schlossberg Grand Cru 2018

A Riesling with drive, tension and fine phenolics that still holds its cards close: the 2018 shows firm and closed for now, and will gain with a few years of bottle age.

The Schlossberg lies north of Riquewihr in the commune of Kientzheim and ranges from 230 to 350 metres in altitude. Because of its steepness it is farmed in terraces; just over 80 hectares under vine, the majority planted to Riesling. The Kaysersberg section consists of greywacke sandstone and Devonian schist, broken through in the north-eastern part by the intrusive granite of Thannenkirch.

Pure Riesling, 13.0% vol., declared off-dry. Andrée Trapet took over the family estate in Riquewihr in 2002 and farms the 15 hectares together with Jean-Louis Trapet according to biodynamic principles, spread across the four grand crus Schlossberg, Schoenenbourg, Sonnenglanz and Sporen. In the vineyards, échalas — traditional wooden stakes — support each vine individually; the soils are cover-cropped, and copper and sulphur are kept to a minimum. Since 2018 the day-to-day work has been in the hands of sons Pierre and Louis.

Generous on the nose: ripe yellow apples, orange zest and green mandarin, along with black locust honey, white blossom, freshly mown summer meadow and wet flint. The attack is expansive and powerful, the acidity elegantly woven into the texture. Fine phenolics give the wine razor-sharp contours, while deep minerality carries it into a long, saline finish.

Pumpkin gnocchi with walnuts in sage butter, rockfish tajine with preserved lemons and aubergine, or oven-roast leg of kid with lemon, young garlic and thyme.

In its youth, this grand cru calls for the decanter, and generously so. Those with patience can lay it down for a few years.