Julien and Sophie Schaal are on a roll at the moment, fresh off their Pinot Noir of the Year award from Platter’s, they were in South Africa recently to launch their 2023 Alsace Grands Crus.
They have now moved into their new Hunawihr winery, overlooking Clos St. Hune. The Julien Schaal label reserved for the range of Grands Crus. All the wines are hand-harvested, slowly whole-bunch pressed, then settled without any addition of sulphur dioxide so the solids oxidise. Wines ferment spontaneously and are racked off gross lees once the ferment is finished. The wines stay on fine lees with a little batonnage to extract mannoproteins from the lees. They prefer to balance acidity with mouthfeel rather than sweetness and also prefer to prevent malolactic conversion.
"We found lots of unique vineyards from Andlau to Thann, each with its own strong character. Sophie and I are putting in the effort to highlight the exceptional qualities of these vineyards and craft wines that authentically capture the essence of the terroir. We've decided to focus exclusively on crafting wines from the Alsace Grand Cru appellation across our entire range."
― Julien Schaal
The 2023 vintage for Alsace was slightly fraught with some twists and turns, however, the generall consensus is that the wines look to be very good.
Both winter and spring were reasonably mild, with the latter season receiving a fair amount of rainfall. Although spring was fortunately largely frost-free, there were one or two incidents that caused concern, thankfully, most vines skated through unscathed.
Summer arrived bringing steady sunshine along with some not inconsequential heatwaves, which meant producers had to be careful when it came to both canopy management and irrigation. However, on the flipside, the grapes were ushered towards phenolic ripeness.
At times, sharp summer storms created humid conditions which raised the threat of disease and producers had to be vigilant. Fortunately, however, good conditions prevailed for the harvest which was brought in without much of a hitch.
Riesling, especially is of very high quality, although more time is needed to make a definitive assessment, the resulting wines are shaping up to be extremely good.
Julien Schaal Alsace Grand Cru ‘Rosacker’ Riesling 2023
Julien Schaal Alsace Grand Cru ‘Schoenenbourg’ Riesling 2023
Julien Schaal Alsace Grand Cru ‘Sommerberg’ Riesling 2023
R2,220.00Original price was: R2,220.00.R2,109.00Current price is: R2,109.00.Add to basket
Julien Schaal Riesling Mixed Case 2024
5% Discount + Free Delivery
All three of Julien Schaal’s Rieslings are made in the exact same way however they all come from different soil types in the Alsace region. This mixed case is the expression of 3 different terroirs in Alsace.
"The Alsace wine region boasts a distinctive blend of soil types, creating a captivating geological kaleidoscope. Grand Cru vineyards showcase a fascinating array including sandstone, schist, limestone, granite, volcanic rocks, marl & gypsum. Riesling stands out as a variety capable of expressing these unique characteristics in our wines."
Julien Schaal Alsace Grand Cru 'Rosacker' Riesling 2023
Limestone
GEOLOGY: Resting upon soils of Keuper marl, dolomite rock, and gypsum, these grounds are abundant in enriching elements that boast excellent water retention properties. They provide Riesling wines with additional structure and depth, as well as flavors of ripe fruit, and stone fruits with delicate acidity.
AGE OF SOIL : Keuper (230 million years ago) refers to a geological formation that primarily consists of a sequence of sedimentary rocks. It is part of the Triassic period and is characterized by deposits of marl, shale, and sandstone. Dolomite is a type of sedimentary rock that contains a high percentage of the mineral dolomite, which is a double carbonate of calcium and magnesium. It forms in ancient marine environments and is known for its distinctive composition.
VINEYARD: To the north of Riquewihr, the vineyards run along the south and south-east side of Schoenenbourg, between 265 and 380m in altitude, on a rather steep slope.
Jancis Robinson MW:
“Like Clos Ste-Hune, grown to the north of Hunawihr on Muschelkalk and Lettenkhole parent rock with limestone soils that are rich in minerals and promote good water retention. Faces east and south-east at 260–330 m. Certified organic. Racy with massive energy and drive. Is it autosuggestion to see a slight floral element to this beautiful, dry Riesling? Really very long with noticeable grip. A mineral undertow rounds out a seriously complex wine. 18/20″
Julien Schaal Alsace Grand Cru 'Schoenenbourg' Riesling 2023
Marl & Gypsum
GEOLOGY: Resting upon soils of Keuper marl, dolomite rock, and gypsum, these grounds are abundant in enriching elements that boast excellent water retention properties. They provide Riesling wines with additional structure and depth, as well as flavors of ripe fruit, and stone fruits with delicate acidity.
AGE OF SOIL : Keuper (230 million years ago) refers to a geological formation that primarily consists of a sequence of sedimentary rocks. It is part of the Triassic period and is characterized by deposits of marl, shale, and sandstone. Dolomite is a type of sedimentary rock that contains a high percentage of the mineral dolomite, which is a double carbonate of calcium and magnesium. It forms in ancient marine environments and is known for its distinctive composition.
VINEYARD: To the north of Riquewihr, the vineyards run along the south and south-east side of Schoenenbourg, between 265 and 380m in altitude, on a rather steep slope.
Jancis Robinson MW:
“Grown on water-retaining Keuper marl north of Riquewihr with dolomite rock, and gypsum along the south and south-east side of this vineyard between 265–380 m elevation on rather a steep slope. Certified organic. Pungent, rich yet lively Riesling fruit that’s so rich and intense it’s almost oily! Broad and flattering rather than some of its more energetic stablemates. Already a huge pleasure to drink. Difficult to resist! A bit of a please-all. 17/20“
Julien Schaal Alsace Grand Cru 'Sommerberg' Riesling 2023
Granite
GEOLOGY: The two-mica granite, called Turckheim granite, in a very advanced state, produced these mineral-rich granite arenas, highly suited for vineyards. These soils also promote the expression of fresh fruit and citrus aromas in Riesling wines.
AGE OF SOIL : Around 330 million years ago, in the Carboniferous period, the continents teamed up to form a supercontinent called Pangaea. In the middle of Pangaea, there was a big mountain range called the Hercynian chain. The Vosges mountains were right in the middle of this range. When the two continental plates met, one slid under the other, creating rocks and granite beneath the surface (around 5 to 30 km deep). These rocks, called Vosges granites, include feldspar, mica, and quartz. This process also lifted up the mountain range above the surface.
VINEYARD: Located on a very steep hill (45°), this locality is oriented directly to the south and rises up to nearly 400m in altitude.
Jancis Robinson MW:
“Grown on a very steep (45°) south-facing slope up to 400 m of Turckheim granite, especially well suited to Riesling. Mid greenish gold. Real lift and freshness on the nose. Massive drive and strong lime flavours. Long and vibrant. Still quite youthful with a great future ahead of it. 17+/20“
Three Expressions of Alsace: Julien Schaal’s 2023 Grand Cru Rieslings
Julien and Sophie Schaal are on a roll at the moment, fresh off their Pinot Noir of the Year award from Platter’s, they were in South Africa recently to launch their 2023 Alsace Grands Crus.
They have now moved into their new Hunawihr winery, overlooking Clos St. Hune. The Julien Schaal label reserved for the range of Grands Crus. All the wines are hand-harvested, slowly whole-bunch pressed, then settled without any addition of sulphur dioxide so the solids oxidise. Wines ferment spontaneously and are racked off gross lees once the ferment is finished. The wines stay on fine lees with a little batonnage to extract mannoproteins from the lees. They prefer to balance acidity with mouthfeel rather than sweetness and also prefer to prevent malolactic conversion.
"We found lots of unique vineyards from Andlau to Thann, each with its own strong character. Sophie and I are putting in the effort to highlight the exceptional qualities of these vineyards and craft wines that authentically capture the essence of the terroir. We've decided to focus exclusively on crafting wines from the Alsace Grand Cru appellation across our entire range."
― Julien Schaal
The 2023 vintage for Alsace was slightly fraught with some twists and turns, however, the generall consensus is that the wines look to be very good.
Both winter and spring were reasonably mild, with the latter season receiving a fair amount of rainfall. Although spring was fortunately largely frost-free, there were one or two incidents that caused concern, thankfully, most vines skated through unscathed.
Summer arrived bringing steady sunshine along with some not inconsequential heatwaves, which meant producers had to be careful when it came to both canopy management and irrigation. However, on the flipside, the grapes were ushered towards phenolic ripeness.
At times, sharp summer storms created humid conditions which raised the threat of disease and producers had to be vigilant. Fortunately, however, good conditions prevailed for the harvest which was brought in without much of a hitch.
Riesling, especially is of very high quality, although more time is needed to make a definitive assessment, the resulting wines are shaping up to be extremely good.
Julien Schaal Alsace Grand Cru ‘Rosacker’ Riesling 2023
Julien Schaal Alsace Grand Cru ‘Schoenenbourg’ Riesling 2023
Julien Schaal Alsace Grand Cru ‘Sommerberg’ Riesling 2023
R2,220.00Original price was: R2,220.00.R2,109.00Current price is: R2,109.00.Add to basketJulien Schaal Riesling Mixed Case 2024
5% Discount + Free Delivery
All three of Julien Schaal’s Rieslings are made in the exact same way however they all come from different soil types in the Alsace region. This mixed case is the expression of 3 different terroirs in Alsace.
"The Alsace wine region boasts a distinctive blend of soil types, creating a captivating geological kaleidoscope. Grand Cru vineyards showcase a fascinating array including sandstone, schist, limestone, granite, volcanic rocks, marl & gypsum. Riesling stands out as a variety capable of expressing these unique characteristics in our wines."
― Julien Schaal
THE WINES:
R370.00Add to basket
Julien Schaal Alsace Grand Cru 'Rosacker' Riesling 2023
Limestone
GEOLOGY: Resting upon soils of Keuper marl, dolomite rock, and gypsum, these grounds are abundant in enriching elements that boast excellent water retention properties. They provide Riesling wines with additional structure and depth, as well as flavors of ripe fruit, and stone fruits with delicate acidity.
AGE OF SOIL : Keuper (230 million years ago) refers to a geological formation that primarily consists of a sequence of sedimentary rocks. It is part of the Triassic period and is characterized by deposits of marl, shale, and sandstone. Dolomite is a type of sedimentary rock that contains a high percentage of the mineral dolomite, which is a double carbonate of calcium and magnesium. It forms in ancient marine environments and is known for its distinctive composition.
VINEYARD: To the north of Riquewihr, the vineyards run along the south and south-east side of Schoenenbourg, between 265 and 380m in altitude, on a rather steep slope.
Jancis Robinson MW:
“Like Clos Ste-Hune, grown to the north of Hunawihr on Muschelkalk and Lettenkhole parent rock with limestone soils that are rich in minerals and promote good water retention. Faces east and south-east at 260–330 m. Certified organic. Racy with massive energy and drive. Is it autosuggestion to see a slight floral element to this beautiful, dry Riesling? Really very long with noticeable grip. A mineral undertow rounds out a seriously complex wine. 18/20″
R370.00Add to basket
Julien Schaal Alsace Grand Cru 'Schoenenbourg' Riesling 2023
Marl & Gypsum
GEOLOGY: Resting upon soils of Keuper marl, dolomite rock, and gypsum, these grounds are abundant in enriching elements that boast excellent water retention properties. They provide Riesling wines with additional structure and depth, as well as flavors of ripe fruit, and stone fruits with delicate acidity.
AGE OF SOIL : Keuper (230 million years ago) refers to a geological formation that primarily consists of a sequence of sedimentary rocks. It is part of the Triassic period and is characterized by deposits of marl, shale, and sandstone. Dolomite is a type of sedimentary rock that contains a high percentage of the mineral dolomite, which is a double carbonate of calcium and magnesium. It forms in ancient marine environments and is known for its distinctive composition.
VINEYARD: To the north of Riquewihr, the vineyards run along the south and south-east side of Schoenenbourg, between 265 and 380m in altitude, on a rather steep slope.
Jancis Robinson MW:
“Grown on water-retaining Keuper marl north of Riquewihr with dolomite rock, and gypsum along the south and south-east side of this vineyard between 265–380 m elevation on rather a steep slope. Certified organic. Pungent, rich yet lively Riesling fruit that’s so rich and intense it’s almost oily! Broad and flattering rather than some of its more energetic stablemates. Already a huge pleasure to drink. Difficult to resist! A bit of a please-all. 17/20“
R370.00Add to basket
Julien Schaal Alsace Grand Cru 'Sommerberg' Riesling 2023
Granite
GEOLOGY: The two-mica granite, called Turckheim granite, in a very advanced state, produced these mineral-rich granite arenas, highly suited for vineyards. These soils also promote the expression of fresh fruit and citrus aromas in Riesling wines.
AGE OF SOIL : Around 330 million years ago, in the Carboniferous period, the continents teamed up to form a supercontinent called Pangaea. In the middle of Pangaea, there was a big mountain range called the Hercynian chain. The Vosges mountains were right in the middle of this range. When the two continental plates met, one slid under the other, creating rocks and granite beneath the surface (around 5 to 30 km deep). These rocks, called Vosges granites, include feldspar, mica, and quartz. This process also lifted up the mountain range above the surface.
VINEYARD: Located on a very steep hill (45°), this locality is oriented directly to the south and rises up to nearly 400m in altitude.
Jancis Robinson MW:
“Grown on a very steep (45°) south-facing slope up to 400 m of Turckheim granite, especially well suited to Riesling. Mid greenish gold. Real lift and freshness on the nose. Massive drive and strong lime flavours. Long and vibrant. Still quite youthful with a great future ahead of it. 17+/20“
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