The 2001 vintage

Grand Cru Hengst

The Pinot Noir called GRAND H, harvested on the 2nd of October with more than 13° of alcohol and in a perfect sanitary conditions continues its development in barrels while waiting for the beginning of the mallolactic fermentation of the spring. It is the great Alsatian Pinot Noir from a calcareous soil. The Tokay-Pinot Gris shows its powerful, spicy, almost tannic style. With its potential, it will be a well aging wine .

The first vintage of that new millennium is equal to our efforts and our hopes. In May, weather was very fine ; flowering began on the 5th of June in the early soils of the Hardt and it ended on the 22nd of June in the latest soils.
July was a sunny month, with just the necessary quantity of water, 48 mm. Thus, we could do our summer work under good conditions. August was very hot and of average humidity, 56 mm of rain. The last treatment ended on the 7th of August and we can say that we got no particular problems this year concerning sanitary aspects. In September, the sky was overcast and it was cool for that time of the year, but it didn't rain very much : 30 mm of water, unlike the rest of Europe. The maturity of the grapes didn't develop itself very much during this period.

The grape harvest began on the 1st of October and was over on the 13th of November ; in all, 23 days of grape picking. Only 12 mm of water fell between the 8th of October and the 6th of November. Thanks to this fantastic, very mild late autumn, people even called it a second summer, the anxiety felt one month earlier gave the way to very much hope.