Crémant Extra Brut Chardonnay, Lucas and André Rieffel Mittelbergheim

More and more Chardonnay is cultivated in Alsace. The proportion is up to about 1%, and everything indicates that it will increase. The reason is the high demand for crémant. Today crémant of mainly made from Pinot Blanc and Auxerrois, but we also see more and more singe-grape crémant from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The time on the lees in bottle increases. The only thing that seems constant is the price, that is ridiculously low.

Crémant Extra Brut Chardonnay from Lucas and André Rieffel Mittelbergheim is made of Chardonnay from 2007 and 2008 and then sold after at least six years of bottle aging. The color is bright golden yellow with a beautiful green cast, and the scent is fresh and elegant with bread, citrus, apples and a touch of chocolate. The taste is tight with wonderful fruit, racy acids, a fine mousse and a clean finish without bitterness. A great crémant. Price: €9.50.

2007Gewurztraminer Gesetz, Domaine Lucas & André Rieffel

Lucas Rieffel is a young vigneron who is very well known and respected, all over Alsace. Since a decade, he makes well balanced, elegant wines with profound environmental concern, and the various terroirs in the communes of Andlau, Barr and Mittelbergheim.

2007 Gewurztraminer Gesetz offers an aroma of spices and banana, indicating the the wine will develop complexity after a few years of cellaring. The taste includes apricot and pineapple, and is mellow and slightly sweet without being sticky. The sugar will be integrated in a few years, and leave room for a focused variatal character. Superb craftsmanship and a promising future. Price: €8.

2005 Pinot Blanc Gebreit , Lucas & André Rieffel

Gebreit is a vineyard situated on a plateau between two of the Grands Crus of Andlau; Kastelberg and Wiebelsberg. Here, the must gets richness and acidity enough to carry up to a year on oak.

2005 Pinot Blanc Gebreit by Rieffel in Mittelbergheim has an intense aroma with vanilla and black licorice. The taste is fruity and supple with a hint of pineapple on top of a rich, creamy structure with fresh acids and some bitterness in the finish. A biodynamic wine in the style of a Chardonnay. Price: € 7.

2005 Klevner Vielles Vignes, Lucas & André Rieffel

Mittelbergheim hosts many young and serious, ecologically oriented producers that develop the potential of the vineyards with great determination. One of these is Lucas Rieffel who enjoys a strong reputation among peers all over Alsace.

2005 Klevner Vielles Vignes is made from grapes of 80 year old vines of Auxerrois. The aroma is powerful and spicy with hard-knit fruit. The taste is quite full and dry, the fruitiness is compact, and the long aftertaste is a bit herbal and square. A great success! Price: € 6.20.