Jean Huttard - 'Cellamberg', Sylvaner, Alsace, France (2020)

TASTING NOTES

Bitter almond, stone fruits and orange blossom. The taste has an excellent mixture of honey with candied and dried fruits & drying minerality. Quite a rich wine, but with a really nervy palate to keep it fresh and very versatile for a range of food. 

The grapes are hand harvested and whole cluster pressed in a pneumatic press to gently extract the juice. The musts are then brought to the cellar by gravity to begin the alcoholic fermentation. The wines are aged on fine lees until bottling and filtration.

The family history begins in 1860 when Jean-Baptiste, who owned vines, orchards and the surrounding forest, started to make and sell wine before passing the legacy on to his son.

Over the years, the family have been pioneers in the region. In the late 1970s they were one of the first vignerons to sow grass in the vineyards, a precursor to organic viticulture. In 1974, they were one of five Alsatian producers to launch the Crémant d’Alsace appellation, and the first to plant Chardonnay exclusively for production of AOC Crémant.

In 2015 & 2016, the latest generation, Antoine and Hélène joined the family business. Antoine takes care of the viticulture and wine making while Hélène takes care of the sales and marketing. A natural progression from the innovation in the 1950s and 1980s, the estate was certified organic in 2018 with a deep commitment to a sustainable future.

The winery is located in the small village of Zellenberg. The estate, a total of 8 hectares of vines, is divided into a dizzying array of 45 separate plots spread over 6 different towns.