2009 Domaine Dupasquier Altesse Roussette de Savoie Marestel

Community Tasting Notes (6) Avg Score: 91.3 points

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  9/21/2021 - forceberry wrote: 93 Points

  The Altesse grapes are sourced from the famous Marestel Cru, the vines averaging 40 years in age. Fermented spontaneously in stainless steel, aged for 11 months in old oak foudres and bottled in September before the wines of the new harvest. 13% alcohol. Tasted in Marestel 2016-1994 vertical tasting.
  
  Quite deep golden yellow color. Juicy and noticeably ripe nose with some evolved nuances perhaps a little bit of botrytis influence; complex aromas of wizened apricots, some beeswax, a little bit of poached pear, light orange marmalade nuances and a hint of sweet brown spices. The wine is broad, ripe and juicy on the palate with a full body and complex, dry-to-dry-ish flavors of honeyed richness and honeydew melon, some ripe apricot tones, a little bit of orange marmalade, light cloudberry jam nuances, a toasty hint of honey waffle and a touch of cooked cream. There are lots of very rich flavors giving the wine an illusion of sweetness, but I feel the wine is technically dry or barely off-dry. The high acidity lends good sense of balance and structure to the wine. The finish is rich, broad and sweet-toned with complex, ripe flavors of nectarine, some honeyed richness, light notes of beeswax, a little bit of cloudberry jam, a hint of orange marmalade and a touch of cool stony minerality.
  
  In our vertical tasting this was one of the most impressive wines we had - surprisingly similar to the 2011 vintage, but with more of everything. The wine does seem to show some sense of maturity, but it still differs from other similarly evolved vintages by having this extra layer of richness and complexity, which might come from slightly botrytized grapes - a method not unknown in the Marestel Cru. However, the wine isn't sweet - even though it might feel such - as the maximum permitted RS for the appellation is 8 g/l and it really doesn't feel like an off-dry wine, only has similar flavors that might fool one into thinking it has more sweetness than it actually has. Despite the obvious ripeness and the illusion of sweetness, the wine is nevertheless remarkably structured and balanced, thanks to cool mineral core of the wine and the high acidity typical of Altesse. A terrific effort in every way.

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  10/13/2019 - Jimskiw wrote: 92 Points

  Gorgeous with raclette...

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  5/5/2017 - LW31 Does not like this wine:

  Another fat, slightly oxidized bottle of this. Rather boring. Oh well.

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  3/6/2017 - Pierre-Yves wrote: 87 Points

  Quite sweet on a demi sec level. Some honey and marzipan as well as medicinal herbs. Didn't expect that ripeness and sweetness.

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  9/26/2016 - LW31 wrote:

  First time with this wine. Pretty ripe and heavy on palate to my taste. Definitely ripe melon and apples. Expected a bit more complexity and zip considering what others have said about these. Will have to revisit.

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