History
Clos Saint-Léger refers to the church of Saint-Léger, built at the end of the 11th century to symbolize the artistic and spiritual influence of Murbach Abbey. The sunny slopes of the Florival in the Guebwiller valley inspired a religious from Murbach named Frulandus. In 1041, in his “Life of Saint Leger”, he wrote that the Florival is “a blessed valley, like a celestial jewel, in which the blood of the vine flows freely.
Location
Clos Saint-Léger Riesling comes from a single parcel in the heart of the Kitterlé Grand Cru. This parcel was planted in 1995 with Riesling grapes. The terroir is of volcanic- sandstone origin and occupies a unique site in a small basin on an east-west axis, facing due south on a succession of several vertiginous terraces between 342 and 392 meters above sea level. The light, sandy soil held back by huge dry-stone walls means that yields are limited (20 to 25 hl/ha). Monitoring is carried out from the winter pruning of the vines through to the harvest.
Wine-making
Hand-picked and carefully sorted, the grapes are then transported in crates to our winery in the early hours of the morning for slow pressing. After 12 hours of settling, the perfectly clear juice is fermented in stainless steel tanks, where the temperature is rigorously controlled. The wine was racked and then stored on the fine lees until bottling (under neutral gas) on June 18, 2018.
Gastronomy
Pair it with a fish curry with pineapple, cod with saffron, cicada with dog sauce (onion, garlic, chili pepper, lemon), basmati rice or goat’s milk cheese such as Chabichou du Poitou… Serving temperature 12°.
This wine goes well with
Learn more about food & wine pairingTasting
The color is golden yellow with light, intense reflections. The disk is bright, limpid, and transparent. The wine is youthful. The nose is frank, pleasant, and intense. Citrus aromas dominate, with exotic lemon, pineapple, and white flowers. Aeration amplifies these scents, revealing bergamot, citron, spices, ginger and a hint of smoky mineral, gas and white truffle. The fragrance profile combines subtlety and nobility. All combine harmoniously to reveal a new aspect of Grand Cru Kitterlé.
The palate is fleshy, with a full-bodied alcoholic base. The mid-palate is strict and lively, with a hint of perlage. The same range of aromas as on the nose, with citrus fruit, white flowers, spices, ginger and the mineral smokiness of gas and white truffle. There’s a hint of bitterness. The finish has great length, 13-14 caudalies, as well as frank vivacity and a fine, persistent bitterness. The balance is masterful! The initial over-ripeness of the botrytis is admirably tempered by the definition of the terroir. The range of aromas is already accessible, much to our delight.
Technical sheet by M. Pascal Leonetti: “Best Sommelier of France 2006” April 2022