Domaine Sylvie Spielmann Domaine Sylvie Spielmann Route de Thannenkirch 68750 Bergheim tel +33 3 89 73 35 95 Spielmann Site email Sylvie If you come from the direction of Ribeauville to Bergheim, you come to a small roundabout where the right turn takes you into Bergheim and a left turn takes you on the road which works up to Thannenkirch then Haut-Königsberg. Perhaps one kilometre up this road is a right turn which takes you to Domaine Sylvie Spielmann and the small builders merchants which also bears the Spielmann name. The domaine covers around 8 hectares of vineyards surrounding the house and other buildings - which just happens to include a small portion of the Altenberg Grand Cru and a larger part of the Kanzlerberg Grand Cru. The Kanzlerberg Crand Cru is considerably smaller than Altenberg (see map below; 3.23 vs 35.06 hectares) and what distinguishes Kanzlerberg is a very different mineral expression on the nose and palate - you're much more likely to find the "whiff of the forecourt" on wines from the smaller Grand Cru. The domaine has been bottling its own wines since 1958, starting with Sylvie's grandparents. Sylvie took over from her father in the mid nineties after a spell working in Australia and California (Hegginbotham and Bonny Doone). After a few years of a more and more biological approach to vineyard management in 2002 they made the full transition to biodynamic practice. I've been following the wines from this domaine for close to two years now; priced optimisticly compared to the average, though much lower than for instance Marcel Deiss - also of Bergheim - they are starting to approach the best tier in terms of quality. Fot me it is the Kanzlerberg wines which are the most special; concentrated and very individual and in particular the rieslings which show the terroir to best effect. Like almost all Alsacienne domaines it's a large range of grape varieties which are produced - this selection was tasted at Easter just as the first buds were starting to burst : 2001 Pinot Noir Pale-medium colour. Fresh estery nose with good acidity. I'd chill this for an aperitif. Not bad. 2001 Pinot Noir, élevé en fût de chêne Similar colour. Nose is much more pinot in style. In the mouth it's rounder and a little fatter, still with good acidity. This is actualy quite good for a light bodied style. 1998 Pinot Blanc Bergheim Reserve Nose has hints of coconut. Lots of fat to the palate, with good acidity complimenting citrussy fruit. A very nice wine 2000 Riesling The nose has faint kerosine coupled with lovely high tones - just a hint of sulphur dioxide too I think. The fruit is medium concentrated, but the lovely acidity helps push the finish long. Very good. 2000 Riesling Vieilles Vignes Bergheim Reserve The vines here are 30-40 years old. Similar nose to the previous wine. The palate shows lovely concentration and is very, very long. I find the acidity still a little harsh and would suggest leaving this wine for 3+ years. Lovely. 1999 Riesling Engelgarten This lieu dit is much less rocky with deep soil. The nose is obviously more 'fruity' than the previous wines - agrumes and flowers - no more kerosine. Much rounder in the mouth. Good acidity still, and a nice length. Good and a completely different interpretation. 1998 Riesling Grand Cru Kanzlerberg 1998 was a very dry year. Deeper, more golden colour than previous wines. Very mineral nose - lime too. Very concentrated, mineral palate, lovely acid and lovely length too. Really good. 1999 Riesling Grand Cru Kanzlerberg More yellow than golden colour. Similar, though more muted mineral nose - agrumes too. This is a little more fat but otherwise cut from the same cloth as the 1998. Good acidity and very long. Also very good. 2000 Muscat Floral, grapey nose - quite perfumy. Fat palate with good acidity. Stays quite long in the mouth. Good for muscat! 1999 Tokay Pinot Gris Nose is sweet and perhaps a little spicy - ginger? There's also a fruity green note. Fat and whilst the acidity is still slightly harsh it's just sufficient to avoid the wine becoming cloying. Quite long. 1996 Gewurztraminer Another very dry year. Nose is surprisingly minty and spicy. Thick palate with good acidity which pushes the flavours quite long on the finish. Good Gewurz. 2000 Gewurztraminer Less minty this time, pronounced high tones and rose petals. Concentration is good with medium acidity. Quite good. 1999 Gewurztraminer Blosenberg More typically gewurztraminer nose with some deeper tones. More concentration on the palate, citrussy, sweeter (6g/l residual sugar) with good acidity. 1999 Gewurztraminer Kanzlerberg Grand Cru Much more mineral. Sweeter again (24g/l) though the acidity provides enough balance. Good gewurz. 1999 Gewurztraminer Altenberg Grand Cru Much more lychee on the nose, rose petals too. Fat with good acidity. Quite different interpretation to the last wine (18g/l sugar). Good too. 1994 Riesling VT Kanzlerberg Grand Cru The end of November before all the grapes were harvested. Lovely mineral nose with lots of high estery tones and faint kerosine. Sweet in the mouth (25g/l), lovely concentration - the finish ending with an almost sour taste - sweet and sour (!) An excellent wine. 1997 Tokay Pinot Gris VT Blosenberg The nose is deep, a little musky - perhaps lanolin too. Fat and sweet (39g/l) with agrumes on the palate - quite long. My wife loved it 2000 Gewurztraminer VT Altenberg Grand Cru Spicy, high toned nose - quite perfumy. Very fat palate with just enough acidity to balance. The palate is slightly harsh, though it's a very young wine. Very good. © nanson.ch 2000-2003