Now run by the 6th and 7th generations, Domaines Schlumberger was founded in 1810 by Nicolas Schlumberger, who established vineyards on the renowned slopes above the town of Guebwiller. These vineyard sites have a history of viticulture, having been planted since 207AD. Through successive generations the holding has grown to be one of France’s largest and finest domaines.
The Les Princes Abbés range is the Schlumberger family’s tribute to the Abbots princes from the local Abbey at Murbach who owned the vineyards in the area until the French Revolution, and who were the first to sell the wines from Guebwiller abroad.
With a single holding of more than 330 acres in Guebwiller, Domaines Schlumberger is the largest Grands Crus producer in Alsace. All Schlumberger wines are estate-grown. Because of the aridity and steepness of the domains, the yields are about 50 percent of the average for the appellation of Alsace. The resulting grapes are very high quality and have exceptional flavor concentration.
For over 200 years, the Schlumberger family has devoted itself to farming the vineyards with passion, dedication and respect to the environment.
The Domaines Schlumberger Gewurztraminer Les Princes Abbés comes from the Bollenberg and Bux plots and from young vines from the Schlumberger family’s Grands Crus plots.
Slow, pneumatic pressing was followed by static racking. Fermentation in thermo‐regulated tuns for one to four months. Maturation on lees from six to eight months.
The robe is golden yellow with green reflections of good intensity. The disk is bright, limpid and transparent. The wine shows youth. The nose is marked, pleasant and intense, and sophisticated, with candied and overripe scents marked by exoticism: grapefruit, passion fruit, papaya, spices and ginger. The airing enhances these scents and reveals mango as well as a slight floral hint of peony. The onset in the mouth is moderately ample and mellow. The class of the vintage tempers the extent of the grape variety. Marked by a sophisticated and subtle aromatic palette, this profile is remarkable.
Hash brown potatoes, a shrimp curry with coconut milk, a cumin poultry fricassee with mustard sauce or a soft and washed-rind cheese.
Serve at 12°C.
JamesSuckling.com
92 POINTS
November 24, 2020, James Suckling
“A prototypical Alsace gewurz with plenty of lychee and pineapple character, delicate spice and a satisfying balance between full, creamy body and an almost dry, spicy finish that’s long and rather complex. Drink now.”
Wine Enthusiast
90 POINTS
October 1, 2020, Anne Krebiehl MW
“Honeysuckle, peach and rose petal make for a perfumed nose on this wine. The palate carries these notions on a creamy, rounded body where they are joined by welcome freshness and flavor-enhancing, gentle sweetness. On the finish the wine is fresh, intense and medium dry”
AOC Alsace
100% Gewurztraminer
Natural Cork
13 %
Yes
Yes
