Albert Boxler - Riesling Sommerberg Dudenstein Grand Cru 2018 (750ml)

 
WA
97

Price: $94.00

Producer Albert Boxler
Country France
Region Alsace
Varietal Riesling
Vintage 2018
Sku 1413264
Size 750ml

Wine Advocate: 97 Points

The 2018 Riesling Grand Cru Sommerberg Dudenstein opens very pure fresh and airy yet intense on the nose like lemon perfume on crushed flint stones and quartzite. The ripeness is just right. On the palate this is a full-bodied rich and elegant perfectly lush yet refreshingly crystalline and salty Dudenstein with a long and intense lush and stimulating finish. This is a great Riesling from one of the steepest vineyards in Alsace and one of the warmest vintages. It's amazing that you don't get extremes but that's due to the refreshing balance of the Dudenstein. About 14% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in April 2022. 2020 was "a quiet vintage" says Jean Boxler. "You sat on the terrace enjoyed the sun and the warmth and were pleased with two thunderstorms that saved the vines from drought stress." Ripening was very rapid so that the harvest began as early as August 21 and Riesling could also be harvested soon after Pinot Gris. "By mid-September we were through with everything. The grapes tasted good and ripe and since we want to produce dry wines we had to start early even earlier than officially allowed because the acids were rather mild. The must weights were nevertheless between 95° and 100° Oechsle so our wines are all at about 14% alcohol. Especially the old vines had no problems at all in 2020 as well as in 2018 unlike in 2021 when just the young vines delivered the ripest grapes. In 2020 however they were a bit stressed. Most of the time our Jeunes Vignes or Réserve selection best reflects the vintage character while the old vines reflect the terroir of the Sommerberg with its different plots." Compared to 2015 another very hot and dry vintage with very powerful wines Jean Boxler finds the 2018s and "probably also the 2020s" to be more elegant. As for the 2020s the Pinot Noir shows less color than usual but tastes fine and elegant. I also tasted the 2019s at the domaine. They came from an extremely balanced year that was never too warm got enough rain in the summer and led to a relaxed harvest in September and October. In the end the autumn was sunny and dry and led to concentrated grapes with balanced acidity which was especially good for the Rieslings and Sylvaner. All in all Jean has managed three outstanding vintages in 2018 2019 and 2020 which contain some of the finest most harmonious and impressive Rieslings and Gewurztraminers that may have been produced here in the grands crus Sommerberg and Brand. In any case I have never been higher with the ratings. If you're looking for great dry Rieslings of the world you can't go past Domaine Albert Boxler and there are unlikely to be better Rieslings on granite soils anywhere.

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