Sylvaner Vieilles Vignes 2024 Ostertag | Alsace

Ostertag’s Sylvaner Vieilles Vignes is the wine estate’s signature wine—the one that started it all and that we never tire of coming back to. It is an underappreciated grape variety that, through no fault of its own, has endured years of intensive production, even though it actually has all the makings of a truly great white wine. The old Sylvaner vines have an average age of 55 years; they have been cultivated biodynamically since 1998 and are planted on various plots on plateaus or hillsides, with a deep root system that imparts a surprising mineral structure. The 2024 vintage comes from vines rooted in loess, marl, and sandstone soils, some of which are 85 years old.

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin: Ostertag’s Sylvaner Vieilles Vignes proves that a neglected grape variety can become great if it falls into the right hands. At the Ostertag wine estate, they have always believed in its potential, refusing to uproot it, neglect its cultivation, or cut corners in its winemaking. Vibrant and precise, it sparkles with nuances of sweet spices and citrus; juicy and subtle, it exudes an admirable sense of smoothness and purity.

The nose initially reveals the variety’s assertive, almost rustic character, but with a little aeration, the wine unveils something entirely different: notes of honey, humus, and wax, along with an almost sap-like quality that gradually emerges.

On the palate, it unfolds with a beautifully opulent attack featuring flavors of very ripe grapes, followed by notes of white peach, apricot, and pink grapefruit that round out the bouquet. The finish, slightly salty and mineral, adds depth and complexity. The character of the terroir unfolds very gradually, always supported by a lovely ripe acidity and a refreshing saline tension.