Details
DOMAINE ROHRER - 'NOUVELLE LUNE' AOC ALSACE PINOT NOIR 2020
TASTING NOTES
Certified biodynamic. On the nose, notes of freshly picked red berries, including strawberry and raspberries, alongside a fresh earthiness. On the palate, juicy red cherry notes lead the palate with a supportive savoury spine, and fine, structural tannins to add complexity and length to an already layered wine.
VINTAGE 2020
ORIGIN Alsace, France
MAKER Domaine Rohrer
GRAPES Pinot Noir
PAIRING Duck, beef, mushroom dishes, hard cheeses
ABOUT
Alsace is a region that is still largely misunderstood by wine lovers and professionals alike. It can be regarded as being as complex as Burgundy, with the mosaique of different terroirs resulting in Cru expression that is just fantastic. Protected on the West by the Vosges mountains, the vineyards run along 170 km, known as the famous ‘Route des Vins d’Alsace’. This region borders with Germany, and grows many of the same grape varietals although the Alsatian expressions are generally drier.
Domaine André Rohrer is based in Mittelbergheim, in the northern part of Alsace region and is run by young and talented Ludovic Rohrer. The Rohrer family have been making wine in the region for eight generations. Today they farm organically and biodynamically across eight hectares of vines including 0.18 hectares in the Grand Cru Zotzenberg.
The vineyards are spread across three villages: Eichoffen, Mittelbergheim and Barr. Each village produces different varietals and expressions of terroir. Eichoffen produces Riesling and Gewurztraminer on silty sand over marl, Mittelbergheim south of the village with the lieu dit ‘Stein’ is known for powerful Riesling on grey marls and limestone, Mittelbergheim west of the village with the lieu dit ‘Le Forst’ produces Pinot Noir on sandstone and Mittelbergheim east of the village with the lieu dit ‘l’Oberscheuer’ brings Pinot Gris on deep soils made of marls and sandstone.
The Rohrer family became early adopters of sustainable and organic farming methods. In the 1960s Ludovic’s grandfather had already stopped the use of herbicide and encouraged herbs to grow between the vines. In the 1980s they ceased the use of all chemical pesticides and finally in 2001, André started the conversion of the Domaine towards organic certification. Today they are certified both organic and biodynamic.
This conversion in the vineyard over the past decades has allowed them to improve the purity of their wines, with the full expression of their terroirs. Perfect expertise of vinification and natural winemaking, these wines are as pure as they come. Organic and biodynamic farming in the vineyard along with hand harvesting is followed in the cellar by traditional ageing in old Alsacian oak foudres. Most of the wines have no filtration and no sulphur added, only the wines with residual sugar are lightly filtered and lightly sulphured so they remain stable. It is also common that the family will hold wines longer in the cellar when a vintage or a cuvee needs it, for example the 2019 will only be released for 2021 Spring.
With such care comes outstanding wines of purity, texture, honesty, generosity and length. These are wine to be sought out and savoured.
