Pinot Noir Les Saintes Claires 2023 Albert Mann | Alsace

Domaine Albert Mann 's Pinot Noir Les Saintes Claires stands out as a remarkable revelation, among the most intimate wines from this emblematic family of winemakers. Planted on ancient limestone in Sigolsheim, at Les Clarisses on the upper slopes of the Furstentum Grand Cru, this small, south-facing parcel enjoys a microclimate ideal for Pinot Noir. The cuvée's name refers to the Saintes Claires monastic order, whose nuns once occupied this land. Biodynamically cultivated, this wine reflects constant attention to the soil, slow ripening and precise hand harvesting. The winemaking process is respectful: light pressing, fermentation with indigenous yeasts, ageing between 12 and 17 months in carefully selected oak barrels, without filtration, to preserve the fine expression of the terroir.

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin : Over time, Pinot Noir Les Saintes Claires has become one of the benchmarks for great Alsace red wines, of which it is unquestionably one of the most accomplished expressions. Today, it is a benchmark that is prized by the finest restaurants and the greatest Pinot Noir enthusiasts. Not only is extremely rare, it 's a true gem, capable of rivaling red wines from the finest plots in Burgundy. In the regional hierarchy, Les Saintes Claires has become an almost mythical wine, whose natural balance, depth and mineral tension stand up to comparison with Grand Cru appellations, whose full potential it holds.

On the nose, the cuvée opens with an intense fruitiness of delicately stewed wild berries: blueberry, blackcurrant, wild strawberry... Full-bodied notes of cedar wood and graphite evoke the minerality of the place and the wine estate's mastery of ageing. The overall impression is striking, despite the wine's youth, and suggests a very promising evolution with age.

On the palate, this Pinot Noir unfurls a silky, greedy texture with limpid balance, true to the Albert Mann wine estate style. Full-bodied black fruit blends with sweet spices and subtle oak, while perfectly-adjusted acidity brings tension and precision to the whole. Fine tannins add just the right amount of structure to this fleshy whole. The salinity of the underlying limestone makes itself felt on the finish, where we perceive a persistent, refined length.