Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Furstenstum Albert Mann 2016

The Furstentum Organic Gewurztraminer Grand Cru from the Albert Mann estate in Alsace weighs in at 13.5% – 14% depending on vintage and around 30 grams residual sugar. It is made from from vines more than 50 years old. Straw yellow in colour with a tightly bound bouquet of floral and mineral nuance, a characteristic of these lighter grand cru soils. Off dry on the palate, this is a taut wine; stylish and elegant, yet with intensity and richness. Very fine texture for Gewurztraminer, with no coarse cloyingness at all, excellent stuff.

This well regarded Alsace domaine is run by two brothers, Maurice and Jacky Barthelmé in the village of Wettolsheim, near Colmar.

Maurice, who took over here in 1984, is married to the daughter of the late Albert Mann who gave his name to the domaine. It’s not a huge operation: they have 22 hectares in all, but five of these are in five different Grand Cru vineyards and a further two are in lieux-dits. The brothers each have their responsibilities, one in vineyard and one in cellar. Viticulture is organic and they have a minimal intervention approach in the cellar. That said, they are not averse to employing state of the art technology in the gleaming stainless cellar to make life a little easier! Can't say I blame them! These organic wines are clean as a whistle and very pure without a note of funkiness with direct fruit forward aromas and texture.