2015 Andre Kientzler Osterberg Riesling Grand Cru, Alsace

Pale straw-green. Enticing aromas of apple, pear and jasmine. Clean, rich and very harmonious, offering a glyceral mouthfeel to the floral and orchard fruit flavors. Showcases lovely balance, outstanding density and noteworthy length. Kientzler’s Osterberg grapes grow in three parcels of varying age, but this wine (labeled Osterberg Grand Cru) is made with only the oldest Riesling vines, those that are roughly 50 years old (the juice from the others is declassified into one of the lower-tier bottlings).

94 points Ian D'Agata vinous.com

A serious Grand Cru Riesling from one of Ribeauvillé's great slopes and a wonderful example of how beautifully Alsace Riesling can mature.

The Kientzler family have tended vines around Ribeauvillé since 1699 and are regarded as one of Alsace's finest traditional estates. André Kientzler played a significant role in building the domaine's reputation for wines of precision, longevity and unmistakable vineyard character. Today the family continues to farm some of the region's most prized sites with a focus on low yields and patient winemaking.

Osterberg is one of Ribeauvillé's great Grand Cru vineyards, its steep east facing slopes of marl, sandstone and limestone producing Rieslings of power, structure and remarkable ageing potential. The site has long been celebrated for wines that combine generosity with tension, and a decade in bottle has allowed those qualities to knit together beautifully.

The colour is a brilliant deep gold with flashes of green still lingering at the rim. Aromas of preserved lemon, lime zest and white peach unfold alongside notes of chamomile, wet stone and acacia blossom. With air come layers of beeswax, toast, kerosene and mandarin peel that only mature Riesling can deliver. The texture is rich yet focused, with vibrant acidity carrying the wine through a long, mineral finish that speaks clearly of its Grand Cru origins.

A magnificent partner for lobster with herb butter, grilled John Dory with fennel, roast pork with crackling, mushroom and truffle risotto or Alsatian choucroute garnie. Drinking beautifully now and likely to continue evolving gracefully through to 2035 and beyond for those with patience.