This is a concentrated and velvety smooth middle-age-vine Alsatian Pinot with aging potential (though given some extended time to breathe, is very, very pretty at the moment) from Domaine Riestch in Mittelbergheim, Alsace, France.

Tasting: A brooding stunner from Rietsch -- very pleasant red-fruit in the palate at the center of a huge herbal bouquet, anywhere from white orchids to rosemary and star anise. A heady complex wine with even-keeled acidity and light-medium body that really benefits from a chill and a lengthy decant as it's fairly tight upon first opening. Do not underestimate the aging potential either as it very well could be showing its best in the next five years or so.

Vinification: 100% Pinot Noir hand-harvested from vines grown in the clay-limestone soils of Mittelbergheim, Alsace. The grapes are semi-carbonically macerated (i.e. whole-cluster) for 15-days. Spontaneous fermentation takes place (ambient yeasts; no temp. control) in vat along with slight sulphiting (total <26mg/L). Élevage lasts for 7 months in vat. Coarse filtration on cellulose plate before being bottled unfined and with no additional SO2.