Domaine Barmes-Buecher Hengst Riesling 2012
-
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Enthusiast -
Wine
Spectator
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Bottled in February 2014 with 13.6% alcohol and 11 grams of unconverted sugar, the 2012 Riesling Grand Cru Hengst shows a pure and intense, herbal flavored, slightly smoky bouquet of ripe and concentrated white stone fruit aromas. On the palate this is a wild, untamed horse Riesling: juicy, round and intense, complex and powerful, still young but very expressive. This wine will get finer with more years of bottle age. Very promising! Rating: 92+
-
Wine Enthusiast
Stony, peachy notes are evident on the nose. The palate confirms these and majors on that stony, structural framework. Pervaded as it is by ripe stone fruit flavor of yellow plum and peach, there is a pleasant bitter edge, reminiscent of honey. This is an exciting tightrope walk between the slightest smidgeon of residual sweetness and electric acidity, finishing dry. Ready now, will drink well until 2018.
-
Wine Spectator
Honeysuckle and fresh earth notes waft through this pretty, balanced white, with poached quince, candied grapefruit zest, anise and dried papaya flavors. Juicy on the palate but dry overall, with a lively, spiced finish. Drink now through 2020.
Domaine Barmès-Buecher, located in the heart of the Alsace region, just a few kilometres from Colmar and Eguisheim, was founded in 1985 by Geneviève Barmès (née Buecher) and her husband François Barmès. They combined the land holdings of their respective families, who had owned vines in Wettolsheim, one of the region’s largest wine growing towns, since the 17th century.
Geneviève and François chose to grow their vines using biodynamic practices, which places the emphasis on a respect for nature, life forces and natural cycles. The Domaine’s 15 hectares were converted to biodynamic growing in 1998 and have been certified biodynamic since the 2001 vintage.
This form of wine growing allows a closer relationship with the terroir and a better understanding of the environment surrounding the vine and the wine grower.
Riesling possesses a remarkable ability to reflect the character of wherever it is grown while still maintaining its identity. A regal variety of incredible purity and precision, this versatile grape can be just as enjoyable dry or sweet, young or old, still or sparkling and can age longer than nearly any other white variety. Somm Secret—Given how difficult it is to discern the level of sweetness in a Riesling from the label, here are some clues to find the dry ones. First, look for the world “trocken.” (“Halbtrocken” or “feinherb” mean off-dry.) Also a higher abv usually indicates a drier Riesling.
With its fairytale aesthetic, Germanic influence and strong emphasis on white wines, Alsace is one of France’s most unique viticultural regions. This hotly contested stretch of land running north to south on France’s northeastern border has spent much of its existence as German territory. Nestled in the rain shadow of the Vosges mountains, it is one of the driest regions of France but enjoys a long and cool growing season. Autumn humidity facilitates the development of “noble rot” for the production of late-picked sweet wines, Vendange Tardive and Sélection de Grains Nobles.
The best wines of Alsace can be described as aromatic and honeyed, even when completely dry. The region’s “noble” varieties, the only ones permitted within Alsace’s 51 Grands Crus vineyards, are Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Muscat, and Pinot Gris.
Riesling is Alsace’s main specialty. In its youth, Alsace Riesling is dry, fresh and floral, but develops complex mineral and flint character with age. Gewurztraminer is known for its signature spice and lychee aromatics, and is often utilized for late harvest wines. Pinot Gris is prized for its combination of crisp acidity and savory spice as well as ripe stone fruit flavors. Muscat, vinified dry, tastes of ripe green grapes and fresh rose petal.
Other varieties grown here include Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Chasselas, Sylvaner and Pinot Noir—the only red grape permitted in Alsace and mainly used for sparkling rosé known as Crémant d’Alsace. Most Alsace wines are single-varietal bottlings and unlike other French regions, are also labeled with the variety name.