Domaine Albert Mann : Riesling "Rosenberg" Vendanges Tardives 2020

Characteristics and tasting tips for the Riesling "Rosenberg" Vendanges Tardives 2020 from Domaine Albert Mann

Tasting

Appearance

The wine reveals a brilliant gold color with golden highlights, shimmering with an almost scintillating brightness. The rim is very fine, while the numerous, thick legs bear witness to the wine's viscosity and concentration.

Nose

The nose opens cleanly, revealing complexity and great intensity with aromas of candied orange peel, ripe peach, and lemon. Upon aeration, the bouquet evolves toward notes of candied citrus, floral honey, white chocolate, praline, and mandarin, accompanied by delicate floral touches.

Palate

The smooth attack reveals a beautiful balance structured around a chiseled tartaric acidity. The palate, very fine and fresh, unveils aromas of vine peach, candied lemon, praline, and dried apricots, accompanied by a taut mineral sensation. The long, delicate finish persists elegantly, leaving an impression of refinement and freshness.

Food and wine pairings

This wine pairs wonderfully with fruit-based desserts such as an apricot tart or a Tarte Tatin. It also harmonizes with a cheese platter, particularly highlighting washed-rind cheeses, blue cheeses, as well as fresh goat cheeses like very aged tommes. Pan-seared foie gras with a fruit sauce also constitutes a classic and refined pairing.

Service and cellaring

The Riesling "Rosenberg" Vendanges Tardives 2020 is ideally served at a temperature between 8 and 10°C. This wine can be appreciated now but possesses a considerable cellaring potential until around 2040, or even beyond.

An exceptional Vendanges Tardives Riesling from the Alsatian Rosenberg terroir

The estate

Domaine Albert Mann, established in Wettolsheim in Alsace, is owned by the Barthelmé family who have cultivated vines since 1654. The union of the Mann and Barthelmé families consolidated an exceptional winemaking heritage dating back to the 17th century. Today, the estate spans 25 hectares spread over more than one hundred plots including seven Grands Crus. Jacky Barthelmé has managed the estate since 1989, joined in 2019 by Antoine Barthelmé, representing the tenth consecutive generation of winemakers. A pioneer of biodynamics in Alsace since 1997, the estate is certified organic and has been a member of the Biodyvin union since 2011. Internationally recognized, it was awarded a fifth star in the Bettane & Desseauve guide in 2024.

The vineyard

The Riesling "Rosenberg" Vendanges Tardives 2020 comes from the Rosenberg terroir located in Wettolsheim, the estate's highest plot peaking at an altitude of approximately 360 meters. This terroir benefits from an east-south exposure and a calcareous-ferruginous clay-silt soil with a limestone tendency. This geological composition grants the terroir a remarkable capacity for water regulation, particularly favorable during dry years. Rosenberg reveals itself to be a generous terroir, particularly adapted to Riesling, producing wines with a structure that is initially closed in their youth but reveal themselves progressively over time.

The vintage

The 2020 vintage in Alsace is part of a climatic context favorable to the production of superior quality wines, allowing for optimal grape ripening despite spring challenges. The weather conditions favored the development of noble rot, essential for the elaboration of Vendanges Tardives wines.

Vinification and aging

The Riesling "Rosenberg" Vendanges Tardives 2020 was harvested manually in three distinct passes, allowing for the selection of grapes at different stages of over-ripening and noble rot development. This meticulous approach guarantees an optimal concentration of sugars and remarkable aromatic complexity. The vinification respects the estate's biodynamic principles, favoring minimal intervention to preserve the authenticity of the terroir.

Grape

100% Riesling