Domaine Ostertag - Alsace Zellberg Pinot Gris 2017

André Ostertag is one of the region’s most endearing winemakers. A staunch advocate of biodynamics who is constantly questioning his winemaking practices, he cultivates his beautiful vineyards on the Fronholz and the Muenchberg Grand Cru with the utmost care. The wine lineup delights from start to finish, as the estate is one of the very best specialists in Pinot Gris, which he produces with a skill rivaled by few in Alsace—notably the splendid Muenchberg A360P cuvée, whose curious name comes from the parcel’s cadastral designation… Arthur, André’s son, returned to the estate in 2016 and helped his father make the 2017 vintage before taking the reins alone in 2018, as André stepped back a bit. The new “Les Jardins” line now replaces the previous “Barriques” and “Cuvée d’Epfig” lines and encompasses all grape varieties.

2018 marked a turning point for the estate with Arthur, André Ostertag’s son, taking the reins. With a sensibility for white wines as keen as his father’s, he began making his mark as early as 2016 and is injecting new energy into the estate, with a revamped team that will gradually take shape. The family cultivates beautiful plots in the Zellberg and Fronholz terroirs, on the Muenchberg Grand Cru, and, of course, at Clos Mathis on the Hagel in Ribeauvillé. Any Alsace enthusiast should be familiar with this estate, whose wines are a true delight. The aging potential of all the vintages is undeniable, yet the fruit remains immediately accessible in the Jardins range, for example. This is the result of twenty years of biodynamic vineyard management, complemented by winemaking that is consistently precise and pure.