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Tasting at Albert Mann
Wettolsheim, Alsace, France
Tasted April 14, 2005 by JeffGMorris with 974 views
Introduction
Our tasting was hosted by the daughter of Albert Mann, wife of Maurice Barthelme. She explained to us that the Mann and Barthelme estates and vineyards were combined when she married Maurice and now Maurice and his brother Jacky are the winemakers. The women handle the marketing of the wines.
Although the family remains a pleasure to meet with and the wines are good, we did not find any of the wines blowing us away this visit and a sameness across the lineup.
Flight 1 (16 notes)
White
2003 Albert Mann Pinot Auxerrois Vieilles Vignes
Almost clear with a hint of green. Nice open nose filled with bananas and other tropical scents. The palate and finish were another story with unpleasant bitter notes.
White
2003 Albert Mann Riesling Cuvée Albert
Very pale yellow. Very light bodied and somewhat watery this wine seemed to have little to offer.
White
2003 Albert Mann Riesling Schlossberg
Very pale yellow in color. Stony and minerally with a long and very dry finish. This would be nice with food.
White
2002 Albert Mann Riesling Rosenberg
Light yellow in color. A little sweetness in this wine and better depth and complexity than the '03s but not like the best of the '02 offerings from Alsace.
White
2004 Albert Mann Pinot Gris
This wine was bottled only 2 weeks ago. Green tinted in the glass, this simple wine had a nose filled with bubblegum and tropical notes ( here's that sameness across the offerings coming through ). On the palate it turned a little harsh.
White
2004 Albert Mann Pinot Gris Cuvée Albert
Bottled just 2 weeks ago. Again a bubblegum and tropical nose. Lots of fruit and more depth than the generic '04 Pinot Gris. This is not a bad wine in it's price range.
White
2003 Albert Mann Pinot Gris Furstentum
Light to medium yellow in color this wine was aged in 2 and 3 year old barriques for 1 year. While somewhat closed on the nose, the palate had decent depth and
fruit with tropical notes and some sweetness that seemed like it should subside in a few years. Long finish.
fruit with tropical notes and some sweetness that seemed like it should subside in a few years. Long finish.
White
2003 Albert Mann Pinot Gris Hengst
Light gold in color, this wine had significant sweetness to it mixed with notes of honey and the spiciness typical of Hengst. Thick and low in acid this is certainly one for early drinking only.
White
2003 Albert Mann Muscat
Green tinged in color seemed appropriate for this wine that had a mint dominated nose. The palate and finish were simple with notes of bitter lemon.
White
2004 Albert Mann Gewurztraminer
Light yellow in color with some notes of roses, but a very light and simple wine.
White
2003 Albert Mann Gewurztraminer Steingrübler
Light yellow in color with a nose clearly reminiscent of choucroute! Roses, peaches and spice are present on the rich and sweet palate. Finish was medium in length.
White
2003 Albert Mann Gewurztraminer Furstentum Vieilles Vignes
Light yellow in color with an effusive nose of roses and a long spicy finish. Despite this it seemed to be lacking depth compared to previous vintages.
White - Off-dry
2001 Albert Mann Riesling Altenbourg Vendanges Tardives
Medium yellow in the glass. Sweet and nicely balanced but seems very closed down at the moment. Odd that a bottle at home 2 weeks ago showed much better than this.
White - Off-dry
1996 Albert Mann Pinot Gris Altenbourg Vendanges Tardives
Medium gold in color with a very odd nose dominated by truffle scents, but not in a pleasant way. Palate seems like there may may be something underneath but
is inpenetrable. Very strange wine.
is inpenetrable. Very strange wine.
White - Sweet/Dessert
1998 Albert Mann Gewurztraminer Furstentum Sélection de Grains Nobles
Medium gold in color. Roses on the nose with a rich, sweet, honied palate and a long spicy finish. This was quite good.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2000 Albert Mann Pinot Gris Furstentum Sélection de Grains Nobles
Medium gold in color, this wine was very honied with flavors of apricots and prunes and a nice balance.