Tasting Notes
Dry. This cuvée is not only a truly memorable expression of Riesling, but it is also simply a brilliant white wine. It's crafted from five plots of 60-plus year old vines in the heart of the Schlossberg slope where the sun exposure and granitic, mineral-rich soils beget a particularly deep, coiled and profound, dry Riesling. The wine takes its name from the day of Sainte Catherine, which falls on the 25th of November. Early vintages of the wine were picked on or around that date, drawing their opulence and complexity from Alsace's late autumn. Today it can be picked as much as one month earlier, if not more. It does, however, remain the most expressive dry Riesling of the Domaine. It's powerful and, somewhat counter-intuitively, the least exotic and the most firmly structured Riesling. Expect a super-intense, vinous Riesling loaded with grapefruit pith and zesty fruit, vibrant, punchy acidity and a long, smoky, zesty close. Magnificent. - Importer Note
In spite of recent tragedies – the heartbreakingly premature loss of Laurence Faller and then, more recently, the passing of Weinbach’s legendary matriarch, Colette Faller – the quality of wine that has made Weinbach an icon shows no sign of budging an inch. The attention to detail that the Domaine applies to every one of its (many) cuvées still holds a mirror up to the whole of Alsace, bar, of course, a handful of notable addresses. In Laurence Faller’s stead, the ultra-traditional winemaking here – read whole cluster pressing, wild ferments and vinification in ancient, colossal old casks – is now the responsibility of experienced maître di chai, Ghislain Berthiot, while Catherine Faller’s son, vigneron Théo Leiber-Faller, has clearly inherited the Faller passion for the vines, and for biodynamic viticulture. Then, of course, there are the vineyards - some of the most magnificent in Alsace.
Domaine Weinbach farms 27 hectares of vineyards, predominantly Grand Cru. The most famous terroir is the majestic Schlossberg hill, closely followed by the walled Clos de Capucins; a Weinbach fiefdom that lies around the house and its cellars. But we should not forget the majestic Furstentum Grand Cru which, in the gifted hands of the Faller family, produces some of the world’s most profound Gewürztraminer. The Fallers have farmed organically for some time; however, in the late 1990’s they began the conversion towards biodynamics, a move which was complete in time for the 2005 vintage. Although we started our relationship with the 2006 vintage, we are long time followers of the Domaine. Since bio conversion, we’ve noted a rise in minerality and freshness in the wines, alongside a higher clarity and depth of fruit. The wines have more body, tone and shape too. We like to think you can taste the strength and passion of the new Faller generation. Quality is still the key, but the wines are somehow more pristine, with brilliant intensity. They glow with life on the palate, as if they have been lit from the back. - Importer Note
| Product Type | Wine White Riesling |
| Volume | 750ml |
| Country | France |
| Region | Alsace |
| Sub Region | Schlossberg |
| Winemaking Practices | Minimal Intervention |
| Vineyard Practices | Organic/Biodynamic |