Chat Sauvage Pinot Noir Lorch dry dry 2017

Chat Sauvage Pinot Noir Lorch dry 2017

1. Classification and speciality

This Pinot Noir from the municipality of Lorchin the northern, narrow part of the Rheingau ("Rheingau Gate") represents a strikingly different terroir to the wines from Rüdesheim or the central region. Lorch is known for its extremely steep, slate-dominated slopes (e.g. Schlossberg, Krone), which tend to have cooler, aerated conditions and later ripening times. The 2017 vintage, generally warm and early-ripening, probably produced a well-ripened wine here, but still vital due to the cool location. This combination of warm vintage character and cool microclimate promises particular excitement.

2. Sensory description (dry)

• Colour: Medium to light ruby red.

• Nose: The nose is characterised by cool, delicately spicy fruit. Instead of the often luscious red berries from warmer vineyards , darker berry notes (blackberry, blackcurrant) and a distinctive slatey-mineral component, which can appear almost stony and smoky , dominate here . This is accompanied by notes of wild herbs (thyme, rosemary), a delicate peppery flavour and an underlying dark fruit jam.

• Palate: The cool, taut character is confirmed on the palate. The wine has a lean to medium body, carried by a prominent, invigorating acidity and a clear mineral framework. The tannins are fine but noticeably grainy and lend a firm, structuring texture. The fruit is somewhat more restrained and serious than in a Rüdesheimer of the same vintage. The finish is long, characterised by this salty, mineral freshness and a pleasant, full-bodied bitterness.

• Overall impression: A cool, straightforward Pinot Noir that is very true to its terroir, emphasising less immediate fruit accessibility and more structure, mineral austerity and the distinctive origin from the Lorch slate vineyards. It appears more serious and perhaps more demanding than some other 2017s.

3. Drinking recommendation & potential

• Maturity & drinking window: The wine benefits from short to medium bottle ageing. The 2017 is easily accessible now, but has the potential to develop positivelyfor another 4-7 years due to its firm acidity and tannin structure , whereby the fruit should open up further towards spicy, dried notes and the tannins should continue to merge.

• Serve: Serve at 14-16°C. Decanting (approx. 30 minutes) is recommended to open up the complex spicy and mineral flavours and soften the tannins.

• Food pairing: Ideal with rustic, spicy or slightly fatty dishes that can absorb its structure: Game dishes (venison, wild boar), lamb, strong mushroom pâtés, mature mountain cheeses or savoury lentil dishes. Its acidity cuts through fat excellently.

4. Rating and style classification

The Chat Sauvage Pinot Noir Lorch 2017 is an exemplary terroir wine that clearly expresses the signature of its origin. It epitomises the cool, mineral and tart style of the northern Rheingauand thus provides a deliberate contrast to the rounder, more fruit-driven Pinot Noirs from warmer regions. For fans of classic, New World-orientated Pinot Noir, it may appear too lean and austere. For lovers of transparent, acid-accentuated and down-to-earth red wines, it is a fascinating and authentic document of a specific part of the Rheingau.

Typical of Chat Sauvage & Lorch:spontaneous fermentation, ageing in large, old wooden barrels, no fining, only light filtration. The expression is reduced, honest and unadorned. A wine that takes a stand and interprets the Lorch terroir with the typical wildness ("Sauvage") of the winery.