Domaine Albert Mann : Pinot Noir "Clos de la Faille" 2023

Characteristics and tasting tips for the Pinot Noir "Clos de la Faille" 2023 from Domaine Albert Mann

Tasting

Color

The color reveals a bright, clear ruby red hue with cherry highlights.

Nose

The nose shows lovely floral intensity with notes of peony, rose and violet. Delicate aromas of fresh red berries then unfold, evoking raspberry, blackcurrant and Burlat cherry. A brioche-like touch, paired with a granite-driven minerality, completes this elegant bouquet.

Palate

The palate is concentrated, with generous yet remarkably fine tannins. Beautifully present acidity lends an airy balance to the whole. The silky, refined texture allows pretty spicy notes to emerge, along with hints of licorice and tangy cherries. The very long, vibrant finish leaves an impression of purity and freshness with a highly pronounced mineral imprint, the signature of this unique terroir.

Food and wine pairings

This pinot noir is an ideal match for duck breast with red berries, roast poultry with fine herbs, or tuna tartare with raspberries. It also pairs beautifully with delicate white meats and dishes featuring fine fish.

Service and storage

The Pinot Noir "Clos de la Faille" 2023 will benefit from slight aeration before serving to reveal its full aromatic complexity. It is best served at a temperature between 14 and 16°C.

An outstanding Alsace pinot noir from a biodynamic monopole

The estate

The Domaine Albert Mann, based in Wettolsheim in Haut-Rhin, is the result of the union of two great Alsatian winegrowing families whose traditions date back to the seventeenth century. Converted to biodynamics in 1997 under the impetus of Maurice Barthelmé, the estate is now run by Jacky Barthelmé and his son Antoine, representing the tenth generation of winemakers. Spanning twenty-five hectares across around a hundred plots, the estate farms seven grands crus and stands out for its pioneering commitment to biodynamics, certified by Ecocert in 2000 and Biodyvin in 2010. Recognized by La Revue du Vin de France with three stars and awarded five stars by Bettane et Desseauve, Domaine Albert Mann embodies the excellence of Alsatian viticulture.

The vineyard

Clos de la Faille is a unique one-hectare monopole, the only clos in Alsace planted exclusively with pinot noir. Located in Wintzenheim on a southeast-facing hillside slope, this vineyard rests on an exceptional terroir shaped by a geological fault separating the Vosges granite substrata from an adjacent limestone formation. The soils are made up of several layers: pink sandstone and quartz at the surface, gray Muschelkalk limestone and yellow Jurassic limestone in the intermediate layer, then a mix of Vosges sandstone and white and pink quartz at depth. This Bajocian oolitic limestone gives the wine its distinctive minerality. Classified Natura 2000, the site has been farmed biodynamically since 1997, with plowing carried out by horse to preserve the soils’ delicate structure.

The vintage

The 2023 vintage stood out for record heat and exceptional drought. The vines had to show resilience, surviving thanks to eagerly awaited, lifesaving rains. These extreme climatic conditions made it possible to achieve optimal physiological ripeness in the grapes, encouraging concentration and balance in phenolic compounds. The southeast exposure of Clos de la Faille, together with the protection offered by the surrounding terrain, tempered the effects of intense heat, allowing the grapes to ripen harmoniously while preserving their natural freshness.

Winemaking and aging

The Pinot Noir "Clos de la Faille" 2023 grapes were harvested by hand, with rigorous selection of bunches and berries. Fermentation is carried out with indigenous yeasts, with no addition of commercial yeasts. A proportion of 15 to 20% whole clusters is included in the fermentation to bring structure and aromatic complexity. Maceration is handled gently, favoring delicate extraction of tannins and aromas. Aging takes place in Burgundian oak barrels for twelve to seventeen months, with only 10% new oak in order to preserve the expression of the terroir. No fining or filtration is carried out before bottling, which is done during the waning moon according to biodynamic principles.

Grape variety

100% pinot noir