2011 Biecher & Schaal Pinot Gris Steinert

Community Tasting Notes (1) Avg Score: 91 points

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  1/29/2014 - forceberry wrote: 91 Points

  Made from organic grapes grown on limestone, fermented with natural yeasts, aged from October to April on the fine lees and from April to June in stainless steel before bottling. 14,7 g/l residual sugar.
  
  Pale green color. Surprisingly cool and sharp nose, reminding me more of bright Riesling than your typical rich Alsatian Pinot Gris with aromas of citrus fruits, fresh apples, some herbal character and a hint of spice. The wine feels quite full-bodied and rich, yet surprisingly bright and fresh - even almost austere - contrasting the off-dry taste very markedly. There are flavors of crisp white fruits, citrus fruits, stony minerality, some sweeter white peach and a hint of spice. The wine feels quite high in acidity. The finish is quite long and really fresh - even crisp - with high acidity and a slightest tug of something that feels like tannic grip. There are flavors of honey, pronounced stony minerality, almost lemony citrus fruits, some green apple and a hint of cantaloupe in the aftertaste.
  
  A remarkable fresh, structured and impressively taut - almost austere - Pinot Gris that is surprisingly Riesling-like in its style, despite its relatively high residual sugar. This is not your typical rich, fruity and heavy Pinot Gris, but instead one with remarkable power, intensity, freshness and minerality. The wine still feels very tightly-knit and primary, which also translates to more one-dimensional style and lack of depth. Most likely the wine just needs age, because at least it feels like it is built for the long haul. I can imagine the wine to be remarkable once it starts to unwind a bit and starts to exhibit some tertiary complexity and richness. Expect the score to go up with age, but no need to open in years.

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