Henry Fuchs, Sylvaner Alsace 2022

92 points Vinous
"The 2022 Sylvaner was harvested from very old vines in the deep clay of the Weinbaum site. Since there are no records, Fuchs guesses that they are around 70 years old. The nose is timid, almost closed. The palate is super-slender and bright, with the slight astringency of the skin of cider pear and its spine-tingling combo of phenolic texture and freshness. There is juicy, light-footed flow and much juiciness. A wine that is not obvious at all but gets you in the end. (Bone-Dry)"

Vinous Reverie Notes
Henry Fuchs Domaine is a little family estate located in the heart of the Alsace wine route: Ribeauville. Their philosophy is that a good wine is the fruit of a thorough work of the vineyard. Convinced of this principle, the Fuchs family and its merry little team strives to pamper their vineyard with the aim of producing elegant and fine wines, reflections of the grape varieties and the beautiful terroirs from which they come. Similar to the whole Alsace wine-growing region, the Domaine's vineyards are fragmented. The total area is 10.5 hectares among which 1.07 hectares on the Kirchberg Grand Cru, 0.11 hectares on the Osterberg Grand Cru and 0.5 hectares on the Hagel lieu-dit. These plots are located in Ribeauville, Hunawihr and Bergheim, known for marl-limestone terroirs that suits the great Alsace grape varieties perfectly well. Indeed, limestones bring a long and complex acidity to the wines, enhanced by the power of the marls. This Sylvaner comes from the estate's oldest vines (more than 60 years). Tasting Notes: This is a dry wine, typical of this grape variety with honeysuckle and beeswax notes. With a rustic and thirst-quenching character, it has lemony and floral attack with a powerful structure. The finish is long with plenty of mineral notes. Food Pairing: Preferably drunk between 8 and 10°C. Perfect with oysters, it is just as wonderful with other shellfish, but also charcuterie, smoked trout, light appetizers and young goat cheeses.