History
The place called Stein is at the top of the Bollenberg hill. The name Bollenberg derives certainly from “Belen” or “Belanus”, Celtic god of fire in pastoral life. Stein means stone in German and defines the stony soil of this place.
Location
Clearly separated from the Vosges slopes, the Bollenberg hill extends from Rouffach to Issenheim, a few kilometers north of Guebwiller. The place called Stein is on the ridgeline to the west and made up of the Grande Oolithe’s limestone. It forms compact and dry layers with thin soils. The exceptional climate is due to the geographic location of the hill, that is part of the Guebwiller’s field of faults. The average low rainfall of 350 mm per year is mainly due to the intense summer storms that regulate the great drought, making the Bollenberg hill the driest limestone hill in France.
Wine-making
After a 3 weeks maceration, the wine is then aged in Burgundian oak barrels of 225l and in small capacity casks for approximately 18 months. After a light filtration, the wine is bottled.
Gastronomy
It can be associated with a veal stew with girolle mushrooms and smoked bacon, partridges with grapes and wild mushrooms or a Rossini deer tournedos with red fruits sauce… Serving temperature 16°C.
Learn more about food & wine pairingTasting
The robe is ruby red with purple highlights, of good intensity. The disk is bright, limpid and transparent. The wine shows youth.
The nose is marked, pleasant and intense. Marked by a nobe woody smell, we perceive empyreumatic and toasted vanilla with fine floral peony aromas. The airing balances the previous scents and reveals subtle notes of candied red fruits, blackcurrant, raspberry, strawberry and grenadine. A bit dominant, this ambitious woody smell releases a precise and bright fruit, which ensures the perfect state of health of the grapes. Time will be a good ally.
The onset in the mouth is moderately ample, slender. The alcohol support is full-bodied. The wine evolves on a medium of fine vivacity, with a slight sparkling note. The range of flavours is in line with that of the nose, dominated by this ambitious maturation, finely toasted ; with hints of vanilla, where good quality red fruits (raspberry, cherry, blackcurrant) are expressed. The woody tannin develops a caressing astringency and the finish has a good length, 7-8 caudalies, persistent astringency and a delicate vivacity. The slender and precise balance shows a juvenile woody smell, still marked. The rape and bright fruit brings sophistication and freshness. Patience is key.
Technical sheet by M. Pascal Leonetti
“Best Sommelier of France 2006”
