Julien Schaal Schoenenbourg Alsace Grand Cru Riesling Gypse 2024
Pairs with: Decadent alpine raclette or fondue, classic Alsatian choucroute garnie, pan-seared sea bass with a ginger-citrus reduction, grilled lobster tail with lemon-herb butter, or lightly spiced Southeast Asian dishes like Thai crab cakes.
Good for: Completely blowing the minds of anyone who still thinks all Rieslings are sweet, stashing away in a cellar to watch it evolve into a petrol-and-honey masterpiece over the next decade, or anchoring an elite seafood dinner with an uncompromisingly complex, dry white.
Grape: 100% Riesling.
I am from: Schoenenbourg Alsace Grand Cru, Alsace, France (Sourced from a steep, certified organic hillside vineyard rising just north of the historic village of Riquewihr).
The Story: Handcrafted by the dynamic Julien Schaal—a winemaking visionary who splits his time between the rugged cellars of South Africa and his native hills of northeast France—this bottle belongs to his highly coveted range of single-terroir Grands Crus. The Schoenenbourg vineyard is a true viticultural legend, with a world-class reputation for producing majestic whites that dates all the way back to the 16th century (even the French philosopher Voltaire was famously a regular customer and vineyard owner here). What makes this particular parcel so extraordinary is its unique geological makeup, captured perfectly in the wine's cuvée name, "Gypse." While much of Alsace sits on granite or limestone, these steep, south-facing slopes are packed with water-retaining Keuper marl, dolomite rock, and rare veins of pure crystalline gypsum.
In the cellar, Schaal rejects the modern industrial trend of using residual sugar to soften a wine. Instead, he prefers to balance Riesling's fierce natural acidity with pure, textured mouthfeel. The organic grapes are hand-harvested, slowly whole-bunch pressed, and allowed to ferment completely spontaneously with wild native yeasts. The juice then rests peacefully on its fine lees with light bâtonnage (lees stirring) to extract rich mannoproteins. By blocking malolactic conversion and avoiding any oak, Schaal lets the raw, unadulterated voice of this ancient bedrock sing with absolute clarity.
Why You'll Love Me: It is powerful, intensely concentrated, and drop-dead gorgeous, executing a brilliant high-wire act between a rich, almost oily texture and a laser-sharp, driving freshness. In the glass, it pours a brilliant, pale gold color with shimmering emerald reflections. The nose is highly expressive and evolving, instantly greeting you with an aromatic symphony of fresh limes, yellow apricots, and exotic mango, seamlessly interwoven with nuances of candied ginger, honeysuckle, and a profound, smoky mineral backbone reminiscent of crushed flint and wet stones. On the palate, it hits with a generous, medium-to-full body that feels satisfyingly plump and mouth-filling. Yet, there is zero flab here; a vibrant, driving beam of cool-climate acidity cuts directly through the rich orchard fruit, carrying the wine into an exceptionally long, bone-dry finish marked by a distinct, chalky mineral grip that begs for another sip.
