Pinot Gris Reserve, Cave De Hunawihr, Alsace

Tasting Note

This wine is pale yellow in colour with a nose of fresh florals and pears. 

On the palate it is medium bodied with elegant flavours of ripe peach, pear, apricot and a touch of honey are matched with a subtle smokiness.

Grapes

100% Pinot Gris.

How to Drink

Pair with roasted white meats or duck - it can stand up to some bold flavours - or a dish with some zingy spice. Alternatively the honeyed notes make this a great aperitif.

Producer Information

Founded in 1954, this Alsace co-operative was created to re-establish winemaking traditions in a region greatly impacted by WWII, and has grown since then to now comprise of over 100 members. The calcareous soil provides excellent vine-growing conditions. Located in the foothills of the Vosges mountain range, the region is characterised by undulating hillsides and very little rainfall.

The cooperative has a newly renovated, modern winery and comprises 200 hectares of vineyards - 80% of these vines are in Hunawihr, with the remaining 20% in the neighbouring communes, Riquewihr and Zellenberg. They also have 13 hectares of Grand Cru holdings, including Rosacker, Froehn, Sporen, Schoenenbourg and Osterberg. Each grape variety is harvested manually - a testament to their dedication to producing only the best quality wines. 

Sustainability is also important to Cave de Hunawihr, with the winery pledging to limit the use of pesticides and promote biodiversity.

Production Information

Grapes for this Pinot Gris were sourced from selected small plots in the Hunawihr vineyards, which lie at an altitude of 250-300 metres above sea level.

The grapes are hand harvested from the sloping hillside and then cool fermented for three weeks, with no malolactic fermentation to preserve purity of flavour and the true characteristic of the varietal. This is followed by four months in stainless steel tanks to settle before filtering and bottling.