2023 Domaine Bechtold, Pinot Gris “Nef des Folles” Vin d’Alsace, France.
This was the second vintage of Bechtold’s orange wine I’ve tried and it is even better and much more aromatic than the previous one without any off putting funk, it drinks nicely, but still with skin contact structure. The delicate amber/copper hued 2023 Pinot Gris “Nef des Folles” has a medium full body that is rounded and textural and the palate delivers red apple, dried apricot, a touch of citrus, quince and white cherry fruits, along with pear butter, almond, rose oil, thyme, chamomile and a stony element. Alsace, as mentioned in prior review, has seen some changes and there has even been a number of wineries exploring skin maceration whites, and one that really caught my attention for complexity and balance was this brilliant Bechtold version with poised a dry vibrant palate. This “Nef des Folles” (Pinot Gris), which translates to “the nave of the mad” an ode to this unique skin contact and no sulfur natural and organic wine. The Pinot Gris grapes, according to the winery, come from the Obere Hund vineyard and are macerated for twelve days on its skins and aged in a single old foudre, making for more textural pleasure, while retaining crisp mineral detailing, as seen here. With air you get more leesy elements and a long finish, this wine will show its best with food, especially soft cheeses and ham dishes.
The Domaine Bechtold, again as I noted here before, has some impressive vineyard sites in Alsace, and is run by Jean-Marie Bechtold, who is the fourth generation to lead here and has an outstanding reputation for producing top notch classically styled wines. The winery notes that Jean-Marie began working with his father in 1980 and took the reins in 1995 and now works with about 12 hectares of vines, with parcels in the Grand Cru Engelberg being his most prized. The estate itself is located in Dahlenheim, west of Strasbourg in the slopes of the “Couronne d’Or”, a region of Alsace with 2000 years of viticultural history. Bechtold is conceded a traditional Alsace estate and has long embraced organic farming and now Jean-Marie Bechtold, as the winery adds, is currently making the conversion to full biodynamic viticulture. To be true to each terroir and family style, Bechtold’s fermentations are mainly all done in stainless steel tanks with the objective of capturing the fresh acidity and typical dry style of the region, along with an elegant personality and a lighter feel, while this one is an outliner, but still delivering the core style. Bechtold, whose wines, especially the Riesling, I’ve enjoyed for many years, does an excellent set of varietal offerings and an outstanding Crément bubbly, all of which I recommend. I’m not sure where the skin fermented whites will go here in Alsace, but there sure are some interesting offerings, such as this Bechtold and the multi-varietal effort from Domaine Weinbach.
($34 Est.) 92 Points, grapelive