For our tasting today, David Allen MW, our Wine Director looks at an Alsace Pinot Gris that has been aged in French oak barriques. The wine in question is Domaine Ostertag Pinot Gris Les Jardins 2018.
The Domaine Ostertag estate spans approximately 15 hectares (37 acres) of Alsatian countryside, including a small parcel in the renowned Muenchberg Grand Cru vineyard. Owner André Ostertag divides his portfolio of wines into three labels: Vins de Fruit, so-called for its fruit expression; Vins de Pierre, for its expression of terroir; and Vin de Temps, for its reliance on time and weather conditions.
The Ostertag family founded the domaine in 1966. André Ostertag has modernized the winery since taking over, introducing biodynamic farming in 1998 and aging the domaine’s Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc wines in oak barrels.
Domaine Ostertag’s five vineyards are located in the villages of Epfig, Nothalten, Itterswiller, Ribeauvillé, and Albé. Riesling is by far the predominant grape in the domaine’s vineyards, and is the sole variety cultivated in the Heissenberg and Clos Mathis vineyards. Pinot Gris finds its home in the Zellberg vineyard and is also cultivated alongside the likes of Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer and Silvaner in the 4ha (10 acre) Fronholz vineyard. The flagship Muenchberg Grand Cru vineyard in the foothills of the Vosges Mountains is planted to both Riesling and Pinot Gris.
These mountains are also the source of the domaine’s oak barrels. The Pinot Gris wines age in barrel on their lees for approximately one year, while the Pinot Blanc wines spend nine months aging in contact with oak. In general, all other grape varieties are fermented and aged in stainless steel vats.
Learn more about this wine, its pricing and where to buy it by following this link to the Wine-Searcher website:
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