Domaine Bott-Geyl Gewurztraminer Sonnenglanz, Alsace Grand Cru, France

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The 2004 Gewurztraminer Sonnenglanz – with marginally less alcohol and significantly higher residual sugar and impression of sweetness than the Furstentum – displays classic rose petal and brown spice aromas, a creamy-rich palate with low-toned hazel nut paste and mocha that nevertheless preserves considerable refreshment, and a long, sweet, but not imbalanced finish in which can be glimpsed some semblance of chalky underpinnings. I give it the edge today over its Furstentum counterpart in refinement and textural allure, but the former is more fun to drink. (Their 2002 counterparts are still shrouded in baby fat and sheer sweetness.) Bott emphasizes that long, slow fermentation and extended lees contact were critical to achieving the balance between judicious sweetness and alcohol without heat. When one bottles as “Grand Cru” wines that are vendange tardive in all but name, what does one do for an encore? A number of late-harvested lots I tasted chez Bott were awkwardly sweet even though he had run the alcohol up over 13%. Young Jean-Christophe Bott is passionate about quality and unafraid to make sacrifices on its behalf. He has adopted a biodynamic regimen in the vineyards and is now holding most of his wines 6-24 months in bottle before release. Clarity and cleanliness run through all of these, and it is encouraging to taste so many Riesling that are uncompromisingly dry (although occasionally bitterness or alcohol intrude). Bott feels capable of encouraging dryness and balance in various ways in the vineyard and the cellar without ever intervening in or attempting to re-start sluggish fermentations. By no means all of the wines I tasted displayed strong personalities, but many of them gave reason to believe – as does Bott’s articulate advocacy – that this will be one of the more talked-about Alsace domains of the coming decade. Given the challenges that so many of his fellow-growers recorded with this variety in 2004, his success in bringing Gewurztraminer to subtly-ennobled ripeness in that vintage – while taking advantage of higher than usual acidities – is especially noteworthy.Importer: Eric Solomon Selections, Charlotte, NC; tel. (704) 358-1565