Rodern & Saint-Hippolyte

Grand Cru Gloeckelberg

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The terroir

This sloping Grand Cru, which is difficult to cultivate, stands out for the quality of its climate, which favours warmth and therefore early ripening of the grapes. Overlooked by the mountains, the vines on this granite terroir produce wines of finesse and ageing potential.

Grand Cru Gloeckelberg is located mainly in Rodern, with a small part in Saint-Hippolyte. The sloping hillsides face south and south-east. While the upper part of the Grand Cru is characterised by steep slopes, they become gentler in the lower part, creating a funnel effect that ensures good air circulation.

This terroir lies to the west of the Vosges fault, at the northern end of the Ribeauvillé fracture zone. Here, tectonic stresses at the time of the collapse of the Rhine ditch were significant, creating relief and major fault discharges.

Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer account for over 95% of the wines produced in this Grand Cru.

These two grape varieties are particularly well-suited to this terroir: the earliness of the location and the hydric constraints favour arrested growth and enable the grapes to reach a high level of ripeness. In addition, the topography and micro-climate of the locality often lead to the onset of passerillage, further concentrating the harvest.

History

Regional archives bear witness to the prestige that the great and the good once attached to the wines of Gloeckelberg. As early as 1338, the brothers Jean and Rodolphe de Reichenberg, knights of the Order of Malta, owned land in the area that would later become the Gloeckelberg Grand Cru.

A few years later (around 1343), the Notre Dame and Saint Thomas churches in Strasbourg, along with the Sainte Catherine convent in Colmar, shared ownership of the vineyard, on which the Queen of Hungary received an annuity of three and a half measures of wine.

In 1370, the town of Rodern contributed to the life of the Sélestat leprosarium through a perpetual gift guaranteed by the Gloeckelberg vineyards.

At the end of the 19th century, this vineyard also provided water for the abbey of Marmoutier.

The wines

Gloeckelberg wines are full-bodied, rich and complex.

The wines are voluminous, with fine, persistent acidity.

The nose is usually concentrated, honeyed and full of finesse. The dominant aromas are of candied fruit, quince, fig and ripe pineapple, combined with notes of white flowers (bouillon blanc, acacia) and hints of smoke.

The palate is characterised by a soft, velvety attack, evolving towards a saline sensation over the long finish. The excellent harmony between sugar and acidity makes these wines remarkable.

Les millésimes

The early ripening of the terroir and the hard work of the winegrowers have produced wines of consistent quality. Cool vintages (1987, 1996, 2001, 2008, 2010) are marked by their lively acidity, while vintages of great maturity (1988, 1989, 1990, 2000, 2005) develop a characteristic finesse. Only years with extreme water stress, such as 2003, put this terroir in difficulty.

Gloeckelberg produces wines that can be opened young, but can be kept for a long time.