Albert Boxler : Pinot Gris Grand cru "Brand" 2020

Tasting notes and serving suggestions for Albert Boxler Pinot Gris Grand Cru "Brand" 2020

Tasting

Color

The Pinot Gris Grand Cru "Brand" 2020 displays a clear, bright golden hue, whose brilliance reflects the purity of its granite terroir.

Nose

The bouquet is intense and complex, revealing smoky, mineral aromas reminiscent of warm stone. Notes of lemon bring a fresh, pure dimension to the whole.

Palate

On the palate, this wine expresses remarkable smoky richness combined with a warm-stone minerality. The structure is taut and mineral, offering an exceptional balance between power and tension. Rich and succulent, the wine unfolds a beautiful freshness carried by perfectly integrated acidity.

Food and wine pairings

This Pinot Gris Grand Cru "Brand" 2020 pairs wonderfully with oily fish and seafood. It also matches poultry in sauce, as well as mushroom- or legume-based dishes, highlighting its complexity and earthy character.

Serving and cellaring

The Pinot Gris Grand Cru "Brand" 2020 can be enjoyed now but offers cellaring potential through around 2030.

A powerful, mineral Alsace Pinot Gris from the Grand Cru Brand

The estate

Founded in 1946 by Albert Boxler and his wife Élise, Domaine Albert Boxler now covers around 14 hectares in Haut-Rhin, Alsace. Jean Boxler, the founder’s grandson, currently runs the estate alongside his wife Sylvie Kopp-Boxler, representing the twelfth generation of winegrowers since the family settled in Niedermorschwihr in 1673. More than half of the vineyard holds Grand Cru status, including 4 hectares on Sommerberg and 1.9 hectares on Brand. The estate stands out for its organic viticulture practiced since 2003, its intentionally limited yields of 30–35 hl/ha, and an exceptionally detailed parcel-by-parcel approach. Recognized by Bettane & Desseauve (5 stars) and the Revue du Vin de France (3 stars), Boxler embodies Alsatian excellence.

The vineyard

This wine comes from the prestigious Grand Cru Brand located in Turckheim, in Alsace. The site enjoys a very pronounced south-facing exposure and rests on a two-mica granite soil, giving the wine its characteristic minerality. Vines aged 22 to 45 years are farmed organically.

The vintage

The 2020 vintage in Alsace saw an exceptionally warm spring with early budbreak and flowering. Summer proved extremely hot and dry. Despite the challenges linked to drought, the grapes retained their essential aromatics and acidity, producing some very fine wines.

Winemaking and aging

The Pinot Gris Grand Cru "Brand" 2020 was produced using the estate’s traditional methods. The grapes are harvested by hand. After pressing, a cold settling period precedes fermentation, which is entirely natural. The wine is vinified in foudre, allowing beneficial micro-oxygenation. No fining is carried out.

Grape variety

100% pinot gris.