Boeckel Midelberg Riesling 2019

22.50

Description

Racy, fruity and dry organic Riesling with a crisp, flinty spine.

In the absence of a village classification in Alsace, the Boeckels use the term Midelberg to denote wines grown on the slopes of Mittelbergheim, in the family’s vineyards around their home village. Organically grown Riesling is manually harvested and allowed to settle on the lees, with a slow, temperature-controlled fermentation prior to gentle filtering, and maturation in century-old oak casks.

Pale gold in colour, there’s fine tear action on the glass with punchy aromas of mango, orange peel and grapefruit. The palate is concentrated and racy from the off, a midweight, energetic wash of lemon and lime, honeyed apple and apricot, enlivened by a spine of smoky minerality and tangy orange peel.

We love this as a zesty aperitif, but it pairs brilliantly with tandoori chicken, crab cakes or goat’s cheese.

  • Dry, zesty, minerally
  • 750ml
  • 14% Alcohol
  • Screwcap
  • Drink by 2024
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Producer: Maison Boeckel

We knew we were approaching something special as we caught a first view of Mittelbergheim in northern Alsace, a couple of church spires and a mosaic of steeply pitched, reddy-brown tiled rooves, perched above an undulating tapestry of lush green vineyards. A member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (the most beautiful villages of France association), the village and many of its family wineries escaped unscathed from two World Wars, quite a feat when you consider its frontier location and proximity to the German border.

One of most impressive of these surviving wineries is Maison Boeckel, 5th generation growers and winemakers since Frédéric Boeckel founded the winery in 1853, and today managed by brothers Jean-Daniel and Thomas Boeckel. 24 hectares have been fully converted to organic viticulture in the last decade and the family holdings include a proportion of the prized Zotzenberg Grand Cru vineyards, considered one of the finest in Alsace and the only place Sylvaner can be bestowed Grand Cru status.

The history is etched out of stone in the cellars beneath the winery and family home, a labyrinth of dimly lit rooms and caves, housing tanks, barrels and some very old bottles, modern state of the art stainless steel starkly contrasting with black mould-covered walls and ceilings carved out by hand a century prior. These are long ageing wines, from storied vineyards and a long line of dedicated growers, makers and consumers. "I feel extremely lucky", said Jean-Daniel, "We get to grow the greatest varietals in the world here. I absolutely love Riesling, I enjoy a glass every single day."

More Maison Boeckel Wines →

90 Points
Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France (2018 vintage)
91 Points
Wine Enthusiast (2016 vintage)

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