Trusting
one’s palate and thoughts about wine can sometimes be a bit of a challenge. Having taken my fair share of wine courses,
it has been drilled into my head to note fruit clusters, acidity, sugar,
alcohol, body, finish and the list goes on…..all within a sip or two. At
some point along the way, as a wine professional, I have put more effort into
the technical side of things, rather than taking the time to simply ask myself whether
or not I enjoy what I am drinking.
At a recent
dinner with Symbiose Vins and Isabelle Meyer, winemaker of Domaine Josmeyer in Alsace, I
received a gentle reminder of how important it is to just let a wine BE. Feel for a connection with the wine, and believe in the instinct and ability of
my own palate. And like most things in
life, once we start believing in something, trusting our own instincts and
heart, THAT is when we truly start to see it, taste it and things start to
happen. According to Isabelle, this
philosophy is central to Biodynamic winemaking.
Domaine
Josmeyer wasn’t always a biodynamic winery.
It was only after returning from her stage with Noël Pinguet at Domaine
Huet in Vouvray, a winery focused on bio-d, that Isabelle was inspired to set
out and change her family’s winery approach
from ‘conventional’ to more sustainable and organic methods. In pursuit of
this endeavor, she had the support from her father, Jean Meyer, on the
condition that all the wines remain dry styles.
Today, Isabelle and her sister Cé
The goal of
the winery is not to create biodynamic wines, but rather to express terroir in
their wines, which happen to be made according to biodynamic principles. It is more than just a philosophy for them,
it is a way of life. Every single member of their team believes strongly in
these methods. “You have to believe. Making wine in such a way...is based on
intuition and experience that starts at the very beginning, with each step....even
after the wine is bottled.” At Josmeyer,
they must first have a vision of where they want to go, of what the end result should be. At the same time, they are acting as guides, listening to the vines and grapes
throughout the viti/vinicultural life cycle.
Isabelle
and the team feel that every aspect of the winery is interconnected, and that
includes the cellars. She draws on the vats, speaks to them, and to the wine. It becomes more than just wine making, it’s
about creating something meaningful, the result being much more than fermented
grape juice.
With this
in mind, it can be said that the wines of Josmeyer are expressive in more ways
than one. They exude terroir, precision and purity. They are wonderfully easy
to drink and very approachable, but also display impressive depth and
complexity. The wines are amazing all on their
own, but are also gastronomic wines to be enjoyed with food.
Domaine Josmeyer
is well known for its wine quality and there is no doubt that Céline,
Isabelle, and the rest of the team will continue to work in the family’s vision
and style. There is a method to their so
-called madness. One that is perhaps difficult for some to comprehend: to have trust and faith in things that are
bigger than ourselves. A true belief that allows all aspects of the winery to
be held accountable; where each aspect of the vineyard and cellar work together
as an integrated system with the goal of creating pure, expressive wines
that reflect not only the essence of the varieties themselves but also the beautiful terroir.
A very special thank you to Frédéric Gauthier
and Symbiose for the invite with Isabelle and company.
Alsace
Dream A.K.A The Stork Photo: Domaine Josmeyer
Made specifically with the Quebec market in mind, this is a blend of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Auxerrois, Riesling and Pinot Gris. It is quite special in the sense that this wine is aged on lees from their Grand Cru series. Depending on the vintage, residual sugar is around 2g/l and roughly 12%
alcohol. The nose offers generous aromas of citrus and pear . The medium bodied palate is round and ample with a fierce acidity creating a fine balance with the concentrated granny smith apple and pear fruit. Delicate wet stone and subtle saline notes linger on the excellent, dry finish.
Food Pairing: Black cod filet with lemon and herb butter
Le Kottabe Riesling 2014
Photo: Domaine Josmeyer
The grapes for this wine are sourced from 35-year-old vines positioned
between Wintzenheim and Turckheim, where the soil is predominantly sand,
stone, and silt. The wine has 5g of
residual sugar and roughly 7.2 g/l of acidity.
Pale gold in colour, this wine is all about citrus, apricot and abundant floral notes. The wine has a very crisp acidity, cutting straight through to citrus flavours, yet has a round mouth feel. The finish is clean, with abundant citrus fruit flavours and a salinity that keeps you going back for more. Delicious and extremely easy to drink.
Food Pairing : Grilled Lobster with a bit of lime, ginger and coriander.
Made only in exceptional vintages, the grapes for this wine are sourced from a special parcel of limestone in Hengst. This is a powerful wine, giving beautiful notes of apricot, golden raisins, pear and nuances of petrol. It is medium bodied, and has excellent concentrated pear and apricot fruit. The slight sweetness is extremely balanced by the clean, bright acidity, creamy fruit flavours, with a dimension of minerality. This Grand Cru Riesling is pure with a very long, enjoyable finish. Photo: Domsine Josmeyer
Food Pairing: Salmon tartar
www.symbiose-vins.com
No comments:
Post a Comment