Gewurztraminer Les Folastries Josmeyer 2017

Gewurztraminer Les Folastries Josmeyer, biodynamic wine, off dry, spicy, delicate style, aromatic but elegant, superb food wine. A delicious biodynamic wine named after Ronsard’s collection of poems Livret de Folastries, meaning ‘book of follies’. Grown on the flats between Wintzenheim and Turckheim, known for producing softer, sensual wines (in the words of the winery themselves), the vines are over 35 years old. Les Folastries Gewurz tends towards the drier style with approx 7 grams residual sugar. On the nose, classic varietal notes of Lychee combine with north African spices like Cardamom, Coriander and Clove. The palate is drier than the nose would indicate, very spicy but supremely fresh, precise, a style which typifies the Josmeyer estate and the elegance and freshness makes it superb with food.

Josmeyer was founded in 1854 by restaurant owner Aloyse Meyer who set about building on his father’s work in the wine trade.

Since then, the estate has passed through 5 generations of the Meyer family, with Jean Meyer responsible for switching the entire estate to organic and biodynamic culture. He is credited with elevating the estate to one of Alsace’s greats. After his death, his daughters Celine and Isabelle took over running of the estate. The 28 hectare estate is situated at Wintzenheim, and benefits from low annual rainfall, some of the lowest in France. Riesling and Pinot Blanc are given the largest sections of the estate, with Auxerrois, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Gewurztraminer also growing here. 5 distinct terroirs make up the estate, 2 of which have achieved Grand Cru status: Hengst and Brand. Once hand picked, the grapes undergo gentle pressing followed by natural fermentation in 100 year old casks, where they also receive some lees ageing. Josmeyer’s wines are characterised by freshness, complexity and minerality, with each of the 5 terroirs contributing to different expressions of the grapes. These are true wines of character, and though their labels may suggest a certain playfulness, they are certainly serious wines.