Alsace grand cru Mandelberg
Styles
Principal grape varieties
Gewurztraminer (Gewuerztraminer)Muscat À Petits Grains BlancsMuscat À Petits Grains RosesMuscat OttonelPinot GrisRiesling (Riesling Weiss)Pinot Noir
Accessory grape varieties
Terroir
Natural factors
- South/south-east-facing slope of a sub-Vosges hill, exposed from east to south-west, sheltered from the humid north-westerly winds by the Vosges massif.
- Soils of very dense marls over a limestone bedrock, well-drained, ensuring a balanced water supply to the vines.
- A unique geo-pedological unit combined with a favourable mesoclimate, characteristic of the appellation.
- Semi-continental, sheltered climate: hot, dry summers, approximately 1,741 hours of sunshine per year in Colmar, with a drier and warmer foehn descending from the Vosges.
Human factors
- AOC recognised in 1992; sylvaner B is permitted alongside riesling, gewurztraminer, and pinot gris, which are the exclusive white grape varieties.
- Hand-harvesting is mandatory; Vendanges Tardives (VT) and Sélection de Grains Nobles (SGN) require a minimum of 18 months of ageing.
Product characteristics
- Wines are dry, mineral, or aromatic/fruity/full-bodied, with a golden-yellow colour; VT (exotic aromas, candied fruits) and SGN (fruit paste) extend through to amber-yellow.
- Long ageing potential: dry wines gain complexity over time; VT/SGN are described as 'sweet wines of very long keeping ability' with 'remarkable concentration'.
Terroir / wine link
- Marly soils produce wines that are full-bodied and rich, with an elegant salinity and great aromatic finesse.
Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the source.