Since taking over the family domaine in 2000, Agathe has garnered a reputation as one of Alsace’s “comets in the sky”. Quantities from the 5ha estate are small and demand is high making the wines sell out fast. The vines are located around the village of Westhalten in the south of the Alsace region. Around one third of Agathe’s vines are in the Grand Cru of Zinnkoepflé - reaching up to be Alsace’s highest peak at 420m, with south/south-eastern exposures and wonderfully sheltered - with the remainder in what is known as the Noble Valley. Agathe works this terroir by hand and by heart, organic principals and herbal & biodynamic preparations all contributing to the health and vigour of the vines. This land is tied to Agathe’s experiences from early childhood tasting with her grandmother and grandfather. Production for the 5ha estate, although limited in number of bottles, covers all the noble varieties and styles of the regions and wonderfully exhibits the profound textural weight and verve of the region.
Agathe Bursin Sylvaner Lutzeltal 2016
12% abv
Vivid, green-tinged straw. Refined aromas of peach, pear, mint and minerals. Bright and juicy on the palate, with dense flavors of yellow apple and ripe citrus fruits. The finish is long and clean, with a refreshing fruit cocktail quality complicated by a hint of white pepper. This is knockout Sylvaner, characterized by a good sugar/acid balance: though ripe and rich, it has only 5 g/l of residual sugar buffered by 6 g/l total acidity and glides effortlessly over the taste buds. I’m not sure there’s anyone in Alsace making better Sylvaner than the talented Agathe Bursin; quality-wise, these wines are the equal of many more famous Rieslings and Pinot Gris. The Sylvaner vines are located in the southwest portion of the Lutzeltal, on a site that is a geological prolongation of the Vorbourg’s Clos Saint Landelin (it’s essentially the southwest exposure of the same hill) and is bound to become a premier cru in Alsace’s new classification of its vineyards.
- Reference #:
- 9730
- Strength
- 12 ABV
- Bottles per Case
- 6 bottles
- Grapes
- Sylvaner
- Organic
- Yes
- Biodynamic
- No
- Vegan
- No
- Vegetarian
- No
- Sparkling
- No
