Marc Kreydenweiss - Riesling Grand Cru Kastelberg 2021

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

Grown on hornfels soil, the 2021 Kastelberg Grand Cru is generous on the nose—elegant, remarkably aromatic, and briny—displaying intense aromas of yellow berries such as mirabelle plums and quince. Full-bodied, refined, and briny on the palate, this is a dense, complex, crystalline, and briny Riesling with a concentrated fruity core, abundant minerality, and fine yet substantial tannins. It is a great, expressive wine that beautifully represents the vintage and the rocky soils. The wine is exceptionally open and full of salt and minerals thanks to a yield of just 22 to 23 hectoliters per hectare.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

Rich and full-bodied, Kastelberg is a well-defined wine; its 45 months of aging will take it far: a refined and firm wine, still very young but with phenomenal length.

About the estate:

Antoine, the son of Marc Kreydenweiss, has been at the helm of this estate in Andlau since 2007; the estate is among the pioneers of biodynamics in Alsace. The diversity of the estate’s terroirs and their subtle interpretation have always been a strength here, further enhanced by the changes Antoine has implemented (slower pressing and extended aging on lees). The risks taken in vinifying many cuvées without sulfur (or with minimal levels) are paying off and do not result in the slightest flaw. A small line of wines made from purchased organic grapes has been launched under the label Lune à Boire. The Pinot Noir and macerated wines (not rated) are of the highest caliber. The standards have returned to the highest level with wines of rare vitality, and continue to deepen, with ambitious aging periods of four years for the 2017 Grand Cru Rieslings. These exciting wines, with their rare vitality, have earned the estate its third star this year.

James Suckling

Yves Beck

About the wine:

A small, very steep, and stony 5.5-hectare plot composed of black and red schist. Aged for two years, including one year in large oak casks and one year in stainless steel tanks. A superb bouquet marked by notes of anise, chamomile, and licorice, followed by hints of peach. Good density on the palate, where the wine displays a generous yet incisive character. Plenty of spirit, framed by richness and sharp acidity. The body is full and well-structured. A truly great terroir wine that manages to express its unique character regardless of the vintage, adapting its profile to suit the circumstances. 2025–2055