Unieke Gewürtztraminer Kientz

De familie Kientz (Elzas) heeft een bijzondere Gewürtztraminer zoals je zelden nog tegenkomt. 

THE KIENTZ FAMILY WINERY

Cultivation of the vine was introduced into Alsace by the Romans, in the second century AD. By the end of the first millennium, wine was being grown in 160 localities in Alsace, and by the Middle Ages Alsace wines were among the most highly prized in Europe. Today, the quality of Alsace wines is officially recognized: they have been awarded the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) d'Alsace. In the main, their names reflect the varieties of grape from which they are made.
Alsace is one of the very few viticultural regions in France where the grape variety appears first on the label of an AOC wine. Now that varietal wines are in fashion worldwide, why not profit from this special feature?

The Alsace wine-growing region is in north-eastern France, along the left bank of the Rhine bordering Germany. Sheltered from oceanic influences by the Vosges mountains, this region is one of the driest in France, with only 500-600 mm of rainfall a year. Its east-south-east orientation is ideal for slow, prolonged ripening of the grapes.

Our winery, in the village of Blienschwiller on the Alsace Wine Route some 40 km south of Strasbourg and 30 km north of Colmar, has a wide variety of soils – clayey and silty for our generic wines, granitic for our Grands Crus. Our village's most famous slope is the Winzenberg, rising above Blienschwiller to an altitude of 300 metres.
The steep incline of this slope and its south-south-east orientation ensure unusually prolonged exposure to the sun. Its microclimate and granitic soil represent ideal conditions for cultivation of a Grand Cru.

Without any doubt, the Riesling is the grape variety best adaptaed to this terroir. However, the estate also produces superb Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris vintages.
After ageing for four to five years, the Riesling develops powerful mineral aromas (hydrocarbons, gunflint), while the Pinot Gris exudes a fascinating, smoky bouquet. The Gewurztraminer develops subtle spicy fragrances (cinnamon, ginger...).
The ideal mountainside location of the Winzenberg lends the wine a great finesse, a crystalline purity, as well as elegance and verve. The Rieslings from this vineyard are archetypical gourmet wines.