Description
From vineyards in Turkheim, Sigolsheim and Riquewihr, from vines growing on granite, limestone, and clay. As with all of the Sparr wines, native yeasts take care of the fermentations. Dry. Yellow fruits. Peach. Acacia. Slightly smoky. Dry, very nicely integrated acidity. Linear and fresh, yet this has good volume, plenty of body, and a lovely stone fruit and floral finish.
Tasting it next to a Great Southern 2020 Riesling (also dry), it’s striking how much more rounded the Alsace is, nose and palate. Quince and tangerine – quite fleshy, for a dry Riesling. Full-bodied but with great balance and generosity. Light liquorice notes on the finish.
16.5/20 Tamlyn Currin / www.jancisrobinson.com
About the Domaine
Based in the village of Wettolsheim, Amelie and Charles Sparr are ‘children of the vine’, both from Alsace wine families. Charles comes from a famous negotiant family, while Amelie’s family owned a domaine nearby. When the negotiant business was sold, Charles kept 12ha of vineyards and eventually them with Amelie’s, and their new project was born. Together they have 18ha of vines, including sites in four Grand Cru. Amelie’s family had long farmed biodynamically, and it was clear from the beginning this is the direction they would follow. The domaine was certified by Demeter in 2019. They harvest everything by hand, into small containers to protect the grapes. In the winery they use whole clusters for the whites and a gentle pressing to give the best juice. Fermentations are natural, and of no set length – each cuvée finishes in its own time, before the wines spend around 9 months on the lees. No sulphur is used until a touch before bottling. The reds are de-stemmed and see barrels, but very little new oak is used.
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