Lieu dit Fels Schieferkopf by Chapoutier 2012

Lieu-dit-Fels Riesling Schieferkopf by Chapoutier, Alsace, 2012 

Grape: 100% Riesling aged for 15 months in big casks (foudres) 

A great golden colour. The nose is refined with mineral notes and citrus aromas and lemon. The palate is racy and nervous with a lot of minerality. The finale has salty notes with a great length and texture. 

"Less aromatic than the Berg bottling – a bit fatter and softer. Some slight bitterness on the finish. Still quite chewy on the end. Very slightly dull on the end. More expensive than the other two bottlings because it is more difficult to work." 17/20 JR www.jancisrobinson.com

Located in the village of Bernardvillé, just a short distance from one of the Compostelle routes, this plot’s vines are planted on the only strip of blue schist in Alsace, a unique subsoil that dates back to the Precambrian (over 542 million years ago). The plot’s shallow soils (20-30 cm) lend the wines their exceptional mineral structure. The gradient of the hillside (30%), its southeast exposure and its windy microclimate give the wine from the Fels vineyard its elegant, round and taut character.

Vinification starts with a long pressing, then a static cold settling is carried out. Fermentation takes place thanks to native yeasts. Malolactic fermentation is complete. The wines from Domaine de Schieferkopf undergo full malolactic fermentation and are characterized by their late ripening terroir which enhances the complexity and round structure of aged our wines. The malolactic fermentation brings out the minerality from the blue schist terroir.