Mélanie Pfister : Riesling Grand cru "Pfinstberg" 2023

Tasting Notes and Advice for Riesling Grand cru "Engelberg" 2023 Mélanie Pfister

Tasting

Appearance

The wine shows a brilliant color.

Nose

The nose is fresh and slightly yeasty, revealing bright aromas of citrus and peach. Fresh herbal notes accompany subtle floral touches.

Palate

On the palate, this wine expresses a chalky minerality characteristic of limestone, with a medium- to full-bodied structure. The palate unveils notes of yellow citrus and wild herbs, carried by a sharp, electric minerality. The finish is long and persistent, dominated by this distinctive mineral signature.

Food and Wine Pairings

This Riesling Grand cru "Engelberg" 2023 is an ideal match for firm-fleshed fish and seafood. It pairs perfectly with sole with herbs and lemon, poultry or pork preparations with fruit, as well as garnished Alsatian sauerkraut. Fine cheeses also make an excellent pairing.

Serving and Cellaring

Riesling Grand cru "Engelberg" 2023 is ideally served at a temperature between 8 and 10°C.

A mineral-driven Alsace Grand Cru riesling

The estate

Founded in 1780 by Nicolas Pfister, the Mélanie Pfister estate has upheld a family winemaking tradition for more than two centuries in the village of Dahlenheim, in northern Alsace. After training as an agricultural engineer and oenologist, Mélanie Pfister has been the eighth generation at the helm of the estate since 2006. Following prestigious internships at Zind-Humbrecht, Méo-Camuzet, Cheval Blanc, d'Yquem and Craggy Range, she converted the estate’s entire ten hectares of vineyards to organic farming, certified in 2021. Since 2019, she has also incorporated biodynamic preparations adapted to each plot. The estate stands out for its new cellar, enabling the forty-three plots to be vinified separately, thus expressing the diversity of Alsatian terroirs.

The vineyard

Riesling Grand cru "Engelberg" 2023 comes from a two-hectare plot located on the slopes of Mont Scharrach, between 250 and 300 meters above sea level. This south-facing vineyard benefits from an exceptional terroir made up of Muschelkalk limestone dating back to the Middle Triassic. The soils are characterized by a very fine marly top layer resting directly on a bedrock of hard limestone, into which the roots plunge deep. The continental, dry climate of this northern area of Alsace, combined with these limestone soils, creates particularly favorable conditions for crafting elegant, mineral rieslings.

The vintage

The 2023 vintage in Alsace proved particularly contrasting, alternating periods of heat and drought with cooler phases. This climatic variability slowed sugar accumulation, allowing the grapes to reach optimal phenolic ripeness while retaining vibrant acidity. In well-situated plots like Engelberg, where old vines with deep roots withstood water stress, the drought encouraged aromatic concentration and produced balanced wines with remarkable aging potential.

Winemaking and aging

Riesling Grand cru "Engelberg" 2023 is vinified in stainless-steel tanks to preserve aromatic purity and the terroir’s mineral expression. Fermentation is carried out with indigenous yeasts, following a low-intervention approach. The wine then benefits from extended aging on fine lees for eighteen to twenty-four months, bringing complexity and texture while preserving its hallmark freshness.

Grape variety

100% riesling