Chardonnay - Gantenbein - 2021

75 cl

Robert Parker 96 points

Alcohol content: 13.5 % vol.

Grape varieties: 100% Chardonnay

Vinification:

Whole-cluster pressing, fermentation in open wooden vats, followed by 16-18 months in 100% new French pièces, unfiltered and unfined.

Tasting note:

The 2021 Chardonnay is deep, pure, clear and fresh on the nose, which is slatey as well as chalky and floral, revealing a fine concentration of ripe fruit. On the palate, it is full-bodied, intense and elegant, a pure yet rich, concentrated, hugely saline and finely tannic Chardonnay with a long, intense and complex finish. A great White wine from Switzerlandwhich is already being drunk with great pleasure, but can also last for another two decades or so.

Gantenbein Winery:

On the edge of the wine village of Fläsch in the Grisons Rhine Valley stands a striking ensemble in the vineyards: the Gantenbein winery. Martha and Daniel Gantenbein have been making wine here since 1982. They knew that the vine was the decisive factor. So they planted Burgundy clones in their vineyards. They learnt: The grape must not lose anything on its way from the vine to the bottle. So they organised the business accordingly: Grapes and juice flow according to gravity, without pumping or filtering.

Five hectares - and thus the majority - belong to Pinot Noir. One hectare belongs to Chardonnay. And finally, Riesling is grown on twenty hectares.