Vineyard and winemaking
This Pinot Gris comes from Domaine Mader’s highest, east-facing parcel on the steep terraces of Schlossberg Grand Cru. Vines more than 25 years old are rooted in sandy, decomposed granite, a lean soil that brings tension and mineral definition to a naturally generous variety.
The fruit is harvested by hand and whole-bunch pressed before an indigenous-yeast fermentation. The wine spends nine months on its fine lees, with approximately one third matured in used barrel and two thirds in stainless steel. The 2021 was the final Pinot Gris vintage from this parcel before it was replanted to Syrah.
Tasting notes
Appearance
Luminous gold with brilliant clarity.
Nose
White peach, yellow plum and baked apple are interwoven with smoke, warm stone and a restrained note of sweet spice.
Palate
Dry, finely concentrated and graceful, building steadily rather than relying on weight. Ripe orchard fruit is drawn through a firm line of acidity and granite-derived salinity, while subtle lees and barrel notes add texture to the long, smoky finish.
Food pairing
Serve with roast turbot and brown butter, guinea fowl with morels, slow-roasted pork belly with fennel, or a wild mushroom and Comté pithivier. Its depth rewards dishes with richness, but its dry finish keeps the pairing precise.
Background story
Schlossberg became Alsace’s first officially recognised grand cru in 1975. Rising steeply above Kaysersberg and Kientzheim, its granite terraces are renowned for wines with aromatic lift, energy and a distinctly stony persistence.
Domaine Mader was recommended to Sommelier’s Choice by Eric Zweibel MS, an Alsace-born Master Sommelier trained under Gérard Basset MS MW. As the final Pinot Gris made from Mader’s Schlossberg parcel, the 2021 is both a serious expression of the site and the closing chapter of a distinctive part of the estate’s range.
