Albert Boxler : Riesling Grand cru "Brand" 2024

Tasting characteristics and advice for the Riesling Grand Cru "Brand" 2024 by Albert Boxler

Tasting

Appearance

The wine displays a pale golden-yellow hue with bright highlights.

Nose

The nose is complex and multi-layered, revealing notes of ripe citrus—especially preserved lemon and grapefruit—alongside white-fleshed fruits such as peach and pear. A smoky, stony minerality reminiscent of flint rises from the glass, reflecting the terroir’s granitic origins. Delicate floral touches evoking linden blossom and acacia enrich the aromatic profile, adding a subtle floral dimension that balances the fruit and mineral notes.

Palate

The attack is lively and crystalline, immediately framed by remarkably high acidity. The texture remains beautifully balanced, with admirable tension that never tips into austerity. The terroir’s minerality brings a crystalline edge, complemented by aromas of white fruits such as mirabelle plum, apple, and Williams pear. A striking saline note permeates the finish—typical of wines from Brand and the result of the unique mineral composition of Turckheim’s granitic terroir. The finish lingers at length, vibrating with a persistent saline sensation that lasts for several seconds, leaving an impression of purity, elegance, and complexity.

Food and wine pairings

The Riesling Grand cru "Brand" 2024 pairs ideally with fresh oysters, whose natural salinity harmonizes perfectly with the wine’s intense saline character. It also goes beautifully with roasted sea bass and a beurre blanc sauce, where the wine’s crystalline acidity and freshness contrast elegantly with the richness of the sauce. A citrus tart creates a delightful aromatic echo. For more daring dishes, this wine pairs with breaded frog legs, spring fricassees combining peas, asparagus, and wild garlic, roasted turbot with beurre blanc, citrus scallop carpaccio, or free-range poultry with morels.

Serving and cellaring

The Riesling Grand cru "Brand" 2024 has exceptional aging potential and can be cellared until around 2050. It is recommended to wait at least five years before drinking it, allowing the wine to reveal its full complexity.

A sun-kissed, mineral Alsace Riesling Grand Cru from Domaine Albert Boxler

The estate

The Domaine Albert Boxler, based in Niedermorschwihr in Alsace, traces its origins back to 1672, when the Boxler family, originally from Switzerland, settled in the region. The true creation of the modern estate began in 1946 with the first estate bottling by Albert Boxler. Today, Jean Boxler and his wife Sylvie run this family property of around 14 hectares, nearly half of which is classified as Grand Cru—most notably 4 hectares in Grand Cru Sommerberg and 1.9 hectares in Grand Cru Brand. Recognized by the leading wine guides, the estate has practiced organic farming since 2003 and stands out for a minimalist approach in the cellar, favoring the authentic expression of the terroir. Jean Boxler ranks 49th among the Top 50 Winemakers in France according to the Revue du Vin de France, and the estate has been awarded 5 out of 5 stars by the Guide Bettane et Desseauve.

The vineyard

The Riesling Grand cru "Brand" 2024 comes from the Grand Cru Brand, literally “land of fire,” located on the rounded hillside of Turckheim in Alsace Grand Cru. This terroir benefits from a south-southeast exposure and the drying winds of the Munster valley, which encourage early ripening of the grapes. The soil is defined by a nutrient-poor granite known as “Turckheim granite,” composed of two micas whose breakdown creates sandy granitic arenas that bind minerals and give the wines their remarkable salinity. The vines, averaging 35 to 60 years old, are planted on extremely steep slopes that sometimes reach 45 degrees, making mechanization impossible and requiring constant manual work. A planting density between 6,000 and 8,000 vines per hectare encourages natural competition among the vines, forcing roots to penetrate deep into the granitic subsoil. Yields are strictly controlled at around 30 to 35 hectoliters per hectare, significantly below the authorized maximums.

The vintage

The 2024 vintage benefited from the specific climatic conditions of the Brand terroir, one of the warmest and earliest-ripening Grands Crus in Alsace. The drying winds from the Munster valley favored optimal grape maturity, resulting in berries of remarkable generosity and balance.

Vinification and aging

The Riesling Grand cru "Brand" 2024 is vinified according to a philosophy of minimal intervention in the cellar. The grapes are pressed whole and gently for about six hours, a long, delicate process designed to preserve aromatic finesse. Settling is not pushed too far, allowing the fine lees to contribute to the wine’s development during aging. Fermentations take place with indigenous yeasts, without external inoculation, in large, century-old Alsatian foudres that no longer impart woody aromas. The wine rests on fine lees for an extended period, often more than a year, without stirring, favoring a natural, spontaneous evolution.

Grape variety

100% Riesling