Of the many things I love about France’s Alsace region, what stands out above all for me is the frozen-in-time quality of its villages and vineyards. And while the region’s first Grand Cru vineyards weren’t “officially” codified until 1983, their history as sites known for superior wine typically goes back centuries.
Take the Grand Cru “Rosacker,” for example: Located in the village of Hunawihr and spanning 64 acres in total, it has been a cherished site for Riesling and Gewürztraminer since the 15th century. Within Rosacker is the Trimbach family’s mythical “Clos Ste. Hune,” a walled-in parcel that represents the pinnacle of vineyard-designated Alsatian Riesling. Vineyards such as Rosacker are transcendent patches of earth that make any discussion of old vines seem quaint: vines have lived long lives, and been reborn, many times over in places like this. This wine from the Mader family isn’t merely a ‘next-door-to-the-greats’ bottling but a great wine in its own right, displaying the immense structure and still-racy acidity the Riesling grape achieves in the world’s very best sites. Tack on an extra layer of concentration from the superb 2015 vintage, and you’ve got a Riesling which—for fanatics like me—is a vinous ‘event’ worthy of serious contemplation. This is a classically styled Alsace Grand Cru, starting out viscous and mouth-coating before a tsunami of refreshing acidity rushes in to cleanse the palate and drive the long, floral finish. It is quintessential Alsace, and at this price, an absolute steal.
Jean-Luc and Anne Mader founded their family domaine in 1981, after having worked at the local winemaking cooperative, and these days they’re ably assisted by their son, Jérome, who now oversees most of the work in the vineyards and cellar. Headquartered right in Hunawihr, their vineyard holdings span roughly 7 hectares, which they farm organically (and, more recently, biodynamically). As is so often the case in the bucolic hills of Alsace, everything is done by hand from start to finish, and typically the Mader whites incorporate significant percentages of whole bunches in their fermentations, lending the wines depth and longevity.
The Rosacker Grand Cru, which spans 64 acres in total (of which about half is planted to Riesling), is widely regarded as a “holy grail” Riesling site, thanks at least in part to the legend of Trimbach’s “Clos Ste. Hune.” The Mader family’s holdings lay a little higher up the slope, and consist of just under one hectare of 60+-year-old vines. The hand-harvested fruit for the 2015 was subjected to a long, slow fermentation in stainless steel and left on its lees until bottling the following June.
The 2015 Mader “Rosacker” is
über-classic Alsatian Riesling, with that hint of residual sugar which broadens the wine’s texture and moderates its acidity without actually making the wine “sweet.” This is definitely a dry wine, albeit one with a honeyed texture that that is leavened with racy acidity. In the glass, it’s a deep straw-yellow, with some viscosity evinced by the slow-moving tears on the inside of the glass, and the aromatics are explosive: think juicy yellow peach, apricot, poached quince, honeysuckle, crushed stones, and a healthy dose of ‘petrol’ common to the most concentrated styles of Riesling. I go nuts for these wines because of how they manage to be both heady and refreshing at the same time—Riesling always seems to pull off the impossible like no other white grape. Although its acid will surely preserve it for a good 10+ years, it is also a joyous glass of wine right now: Pop a bottle about 15-30 minutes before serving in all-purpose white glasses or even larger Bordeaux stems, letting the temperature rise to about 50 degrees for best aromatic results. Spicy Asian (Thai, Chinese) preparations are always my go-to with wines like this, and attached is a great one for this bottle. It’s impossible not to be blown away by the complementary flavors and contrasting textures. Enjoy!
