Jean Huttard - 'Frach', Alsace, France (2021)

TASTING NOTES

The nose is deeply floral with wild rose and orange zest. The palate follows suit, with dried citrus peels, dried rose, sichuan pepper and yellow apple. The gentle tannin builds in the finish alongside white pepper and ginger spice.

The grapes are all hand harvested. The Pinot Gris is whole bunch macerated, while the Sylvaner and Gewurztraminer are 100% destemmed before maceration for 21 days. The grapes are pressed for 4 hours and allowed to naturally decant via gravity followed by spontaneous fermentation. This is followed by aging for 4 months on fine lees.

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.