2015 Domaine Rolly Gassmann Oberer Weingarten de Rorschwihr Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives

Based in Rorschwihr in Alsace, Domaine Rolly Gassmann is one of the region’s great traditional estates. The Gassmann family has been making wine for generations, with Pierre Gassmann particularly focused on expressing the differences between the estate’s many individual terroirs.

The domaine works mainly with Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer, and is known for wines that combine richness and texture with excellent acidity and remarkable ageing potential. Rather than chasing a particular style, the emphasis is on ripe fruit, healthy vineyards and allowing each site to show its character.

 Vendanges Tardives means ‘late harvest’, with grapes left on the vine to become increasingly concentrated. In good years this can involve passerillage and noble rot, producing wines with tremendous richness and complexity.

After more than a decade, the 2015 is showing the benefits of bottle age. Aromas of dried rose, honey, apricot, peach and exotic fruit lead into a rich, concentrated palate of ripe stone fruit, spice and candied citrus. Despite the sweetness and concentration, good acidity keeps the wine fresh and gives the finish real length.

Rich, complex and beautifully mature, with the freshness to make it much more than simply a sweet wine.