#463 100 Grapes - Pinot Gris from Ostertag

"There is nowt so queer as folk."  This is a saying that I remember hearing in Yorkshire when I was growing up, and it means that 'there is nothing so odd as people'.  As I have aged, I have realised that this is very true, but it is also as true as when it comes to wines.

I tried two vintages of Domaine Ostertag's A360P Pinot Gris and realising that I didn't know anything about the vintage conditions in Alsace in 2001 and 2002, I did a bit of research, and found that there appeared to be some conflicting views.  Lets take 2001 for starters.

Some say that this is a great vintage with complex wines that overshadow the 2002.  Others say that it is a vintage doomed from the start but then saved from the oblivion by an Indian summer.  Then 2002 is viewed as a staggeringly good vintage by some with near immortal wines, and yet others view it as one living in the shadow and not as good as the year before.  So, non the wiser, I decided to let the wines tell me about the vintages.

The Alsatian producer Ostertag is one that I have long had affections for.  The estate was founded in the 1960's and winemaker André Ostertag is known for not folowing rules!  In 1983, when he put his Muenchberg Pinot Gris into oak - something that has been done traditionally in Burgundy for centuries - he was prevented from labelling it as from the region.  Undeterred, he called it after the grid reference of the vineyard - A360P.  He converting the vineyards to biodynamic production in the late nineties, after having been organic from the start, and believes in restricting his yields to achieve wines of superb quality and longevity.

I started with the 2001 Ostertag A360P.  It had very ripe fruit, lots of lemon marmalade and a musky peppery aroma.  Slightly oxidised but still lovely, it had dried peel flavours, some noticeable minerality and a honeyed finish coming out.  A lovely wine, sad that it wasn't up to par, but wonderful that despite being damaged, it still showed well. 88pts

The 2002 of this wine was a totally different experience.  It was stunningly beautiful.  Some pepper with a lemon pith aroma, lots more lively, zippy fruit and a very linear nose and palate going seamlessly from one element to the next.  Purity in a glass, with gentle herbal notes mixed in with citrus and a little peach skin.  An awesome wine.  96pts

Pinot Gris

Assumed to be a mutant clone of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris or Grigio normally has a gray/blue fruit, but normally has the skins removed before any colour has been absorbed into the juice.  Historically seen in Burgundy, this grape has travelled throughout France and the world.  Known as Pinot Grigio in Italy, it is also seen in Australia, New Zealand, the USA and Chilli as well as eastern Europe.  It is a major grape in Alsace, where the cooler climate suits the grape, and is one of the noble grapes of Alsace that means it can be used for Alsace Grand Cru AOC and also the sweeter wines from the region.   It is also one of the seven grape varieties permitted to be used in Champagne.