bott geyl galets oligocene rouge pinot noir 2011

heir to a family tradition dating back to 1795, when his grandfather, jean-martin geyl plowed his vines and made his wine, jean-christophe bott has been running domaine bott-geyl since 1993. he works with small yields, converts the estate in organic culture in 2000 and biodynamic in 2002, manages its vinification in a natural and minimalist way. the estate works on 15 hectares including five grand crus and three localities. the 75 plots are spread over seven municipalities, from ribeauvillé to kientzheim. for work in the vineyard, the essential thing is to understand the nature of the soils on which the vine grows, to take care of them and work them appropriately (digging, plowing, spreading organic compost). to control yields, the estate practices short winter pruning. planting density must also be high (between 5,500 and 7,800 vines/ha) to force the vine to take full advantage of all the subtlety of its terroir. after the manual harvest, the alcoholic fermentation lasts about three to six months: the wines thus gain in complexity and intensity. juices and wines are neither enzymatic, nor chaptalized, nor yeasted, nor fined. then comes the racking: the wines are separated from their lees and will gradually clarify. aging on fine lees lasts between four and eight hours and accentuates the finesse and texture of the wines. after bottling, the wines are stored in an air-conditioned cellar for a few months, or even a few years for some, before being marketed. this cuvée is aged between 14 and 18 months in barrels after cold maceration for less than a week and fermentation for almost two weeks. the nose delivers aromas of red fruits and roasted notes and sweet spices. in the mouth it reveals a silky and supple material, especially after having rested in the cellar between 4 and 10 years. this cuvée will go very well with terrines and charcuterie or with white meats.