Geschickt GC Kaefferkopf “Purberg” 2021

Domaine Geschickt farm in Ammerschwihr in Alsace, north-east France, where Aurélie Fayolle and Arnaud Geschickt converted the family vineyard to biodynamics and minimal intervention. This wine comes from the Kaefferkopf Grand Cru and its Purberg lieu-dit, a site of limestone and granitic soils that give structure and aromatic precision, with the cool Vosges climate and wide diurnal range preserving acidity. It is a blend of Gewürztraminer, which brings rose, lychee and spice, and Riesling, which adds citrus drive and backbone. Made as a natural orange wine with extended skin contact, then aged twelve months in oak barrel, it draws tannin, pigment and phenolics from the grape skins to build the amber colour and structural grip, while the long barrel ageing adds savoury, oxidative depth and texture. The wine is amber in the glass. The nose is intense, with apricot, orange peel, ginger and rose over dried herbs and honey. The palate is dry and powerful at 14 per cent, the aromatic fruit carried by firm tannin and a long, savoury finish. Serve at 12 to 14 degrees in a large glass.