Domaine Ostertag - Riesling Le Berceau lieu-dit Pflanzer 2018

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

André Ostertag is one of the region’s most endearing winemakers. A staunch advocate of biodynamics who is constantly reevaluating his winemaking practices, he cultivates his beautiful vineyards on 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 it 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 vinify the 2017 vintage before taking the reins alone in 2018, as André needed to step back a bit. The new “Les Jardins” line now replaces the previous “Barriques” and “Cuvée d’Epfig” lines and encompasses all grape varieties.

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

About the wine:

Le Berceau offers great finesse, subtle bitter notes, and citrus flavors—a nuanced and lively Riesling with a beautifully spicy and radiant finish.

About the estate:

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 wine lover 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 consistently precise and pure winemaking.

Wine Enthusiast

James Suckling