“French Grand Cru” — “700-Year-Old Vineyard” — “Less than 80 cases produced.” Based on those three descriptors, your mind is already racing to a triple-digit price, and, normally, you’d be right. But that’s not the case for the historic Domaine Schoech in Alsace: Owning a mere .2 hectares in the treasured “Furstentum” vineyard, they create an organic, micro-batch Grand Cru Riesling that qualifies as an artistic masterpiece.
And although the family has soaked up 370 years of winegrowing expertise, a deep bow must also be given to today’s even-longer-running terroir. Just like there is no such thing as an overnight success in Hollywood, Grand Cru vineyards don’t take instantaneous shape. These hallowed terroirs are typically formed and deeply cared for over centuries, and the Furstentum vineyard is a prime example: Wines bearing this site were documented in a local convent as far back as 1330, but it didn’t earn a Grand Cru title until the 20th century! So, trust us when we say (1) rarely does a dry white wine harness such immense depth and mineral complexity and (2) finding any quantity of this wine is a small miracle. Every minute it took to locate and then haggle over the few cases we have today will be entirely worth it once you pull the cork and experience this historical and affordable Grand Cru beauty for yourself.
[NOTE: This wine will be arriving at our warehouse in two weeks.]
Another thing I’ve said before is that Alsace may be the most breathtaking wine region on earth. It holds deep sentimental importance for me, and as such, I’m extremely selective about the region’s wines. We might only offer two or three Alsatian whites on SommSelect per year. That’s not because the region isn’t overflowing with some of France’s most historic and impressive whites—and the country’s ONLY Grand Cru Riesling. It’s because of the prices. For instance, one of my favorite Alsace Rieslings is Trimbach’s “Clos Sainte Hune” (a sub-parcel of Grand Cru Rosacker, just a few miles north of Furstentum) which currently retails for $250+ a pop. So, rather than cramming a bunch of extremely expensive Alsatian whites into your inbox, I prefer to hold my fire and wait for the rare instances wherein top quality meets a reasonable price.
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Do you ever wonder why so many sommeliers call Riesling their favorite grape? It’s one of the most age-worthy varieties on the planet and a chameleon capable of expressing even the most subtle distinctions of various soil types. Those who question the concept of terroir need only compare a glass of slate-grown Riesling to that of a neighboring limestone parcel—they will encounter two dramatically different wines. Terroir is a real thing and few grapes illustrate the concept as definitively as Riesling. Moreover, there’s no more versatile wine with food, period.
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Today’s bottle hails from the seven-century-old “Furstentum” vineyard, a Grand Cru that clings precariously to a steep, 37% grade hillside in the Vosges mountains. Sebastien and Jean-Léon Schoech’s organically farmed parcels lie at the highest elevation here (roughly 1,500 feet). Every low-yielding cluster is hand-harvested, fermented on ambient yeasts, and aged in both stainless steel and bottle for two years before release. There is no chaptalization, no forced malolactic fermentation, no fining—just clean, precise winemaking that showcases the immense mineral power and vigor of Furstentum. With little in the way of classification or labeling standards, it’s often challenging to determine what’s in a bottle of Alsace Riesling until after the cork has been pulled. So, let me be 100% clear: This is a deliciously dry wine!
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The wine is a child genius now, but the real magic will occur after the wine’s 10th birthday, so please try to put some away for the long haul since it will last 10-15 years if kept well. When enjoying one or two over the next year (it’s inevitable), please decant the bottle for 60 minutes and serve in all-purpose or Burgundy stems around 55 degrees. If you can summon the restraint, I encourage you to leave a little in the bottle for the following day—it’s well worth the wait. As we’ve learned from previous vintages, a wine of momentous power, breathtakingly vivid fruit, and laser focus is revealed in the glass. This 2017 is bursting with yellow apple, tangerine, mango peel, kaffir lime, citrus blossoms, dried papaya, exotic spices, a hint of petrol, and a vigorous crushed-stone core. Broad and intricately layered, the palate is full of taut energy and minbending acidity that serves to enhance the fruit- and mineral-filled layers. Unless enjoying it as a standalone treat, it’s really hard to imagine this combination of longstanding vineyard and producer alongside anything other than choucroute garnie. A perfect example of Grand Cru Alsatian Riesling demands it. Cheers!
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