2020 Albert Mann Clos de la Faille Pinot Noir, Alsace

I love the black-cherry nose with delicate, smoky and rooty notes. However, that doesn't prepare you for the serious depth and power on the generous palate. The fine tannins are already beautifully integrated. Long, velvety finish with so many subtle nuances. Just 15% in new oak. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.

96 points jamessuckling.com

Tucked within a sheltered limestone enclave in Wettolsheim, Clos de la Faille is one of Domaine Albert Mann’s most distinctive Pinot Noir sites, producing wines of precision, perfume and quiet power. The Barthelmé family has cultivated these vineyards biodynamically for decades, with brothers Maurice and Jacky continuing to push the boundaries of what Alsace Pinot Noir can achieve. The 2020 vintage brought warm, even ripening conditions balanced by fresh nights, allowing this clos to deliver fruit of concentration while retaining the finesse and mineral tension that define the domaine’s finest reds.

A luminous ruby garnet hue glows in the glass with striking clarity. Aromas unfold in layered waves of wild strawberry, red cherry and blood orange intertwined with rose petal, sweet spice and a subtle earthy note of crushed limestone and forest floor. With time, delicate nuances of tea leaf and gentle smoky complexity begin to emerge, adding depth and intrigue.

The palate is silky yet structured, delivering vibrant red berry fruit and pomegranate framed by ultra fine tannins and lively acidity. A finely etched mineral backbone gives the wine length and focus, leading to a long, graceful finish that lingers with floral lift and savoury spice. This Pinot Noir will reward patient cellaring over twelve to eighteen years as truffle, dried petals and autumnal complexity slowly develop.

A magnificent partner for refined yet deeply flavoured dishes, it shines with roast duck, herb crusted lamb, mushroom and chestnut tart or seared tuna. Albert Mann Clos de la Faille Pinot Noir captures the exciting evolution of Alsace red wine, offering collectors a bottle of finesse, character and profound sense of place.