Biodynamic. This steep, south-facing chalky slope of Furstentum is one of the very finest terroirs for Gewürztraminer in Alsace. The soil is brown clay full of limestone, with a pebbly structure that holds both moisture and warmth. Picking up from the northern limit of Altenbourg, the terraced slopes of Furstentum rise swiftly from 300 to 400 metres at the top of the Mont de Sigolsheim. As always, this remarkable terroir has produced a Gewürztraminer that bears no resemblance to the stereotype.
Sélection de Grains Nobles wines are much scarcer and richer than the Vendange Tardives, due to both the berry-by-berry harvest, and the stipulated sugar levels at harvest (256 grams per litre for Riesling, and 279 grams per litre for Gewürztraminer and Pinot Gris). These wines also contain far more botrytised fruit (notwithstanding that 2017 was not a strong botrytis year for Weinbach). This was wild-fermented and aged in stainless steel for 18 months.