The Complexity
2019
Vintage report
A hotter year, with more rainfall than average. The winter, initially mild and dry, ended with heavy snowfalls. In spring, the pleasant temperatures aided budbreak. The unusually cold spell in May delayed flowering, which largely caught up in June, thanks to significantly warmer weather, which boosted growth. This was followed by fairly dry weather, alternating with brief storms that did not cause significant damage.
Harvest
As usual, the Vin de la Neu grapes were harvested in small 15 kg crates, after a careful selection of the bunches on the vine. The morning of Saturday 19 October saw the harvesting of the bunches from the long-established Vin de la Neu vineyard, while in the afternoon, operations concentrated on picking the first bunches from the new vineyard planted in the spring of 2017.
Vinification
From the two small crus, approx. 1400 kg of Johanniter grapes were harvested, divided into two equal parts, which were vinified separately. After static clarification in non-vitrified cement vats, fermentation began in French oak barriques. The must from the older vineyard was racked into two new barriques, while the must of the younger vineyard into two second-fill barriques, first used for Vin de la Neu 2018. Alcoholic fermentation lasted 21 days for both wines, which started off with an almost identical sugar content. After vigorous bâtonnage, the two wines, again separately, were returned to the cement vats for malolactic fermentation. After about two weeks, when the malic acid was consumed, the two wines were returned to wood barriques to commence the aging process.
Aging
For Vin de la Neu, the aging process is essential to achieve the desired elegance and complexity, thanks to the important work carried out on the yeast and the micro-oxygenation. For the 2019 vintage, bâtonnage was carried out twice a week until the beginning of spring. In April, the wine from the older and younger vineyards was combined to spend the last 6 months of aging together. In October 2020, after being clarified and filtered, the wine was bottled to complete the aging process in the bottle until January 2022.
Tasting notes
Delightfully complex, heading in numerous different directions.
The wine is clear, brilliant and lemon-yellow hued with tinges that shift to green. On the nose, hints of white-fleshed fresh fruit such as quince, pear and white peach. As time goes by, fresh, balsamic notes come through in the glass, reminiscent of citronella, peppermint and eucalyptus. Medium-to-full-bodied on the palate, with a splendid polyphenol structure, building to a brilliant, juicy finish that perfectly combines expansive power with a linear closure.
A masterpiece of Johanniter grapes.
Only 941 bottles and 30 magnums produced.