Pierre Frick Pinot Noir Alsace AOC 2018

Once an aspiring ecologist, Pierre Frick instead found his calling in the vineyards, farming organically since 1970, and biodynamically since 1981. Located in Alsace between Colmar and Guebwiller, Frick farms 12ha of vineyards (1/3 of which are rented), and remains passionately committed to improving and maintaining the health of his vines and land. By choosing to hand harvest with local grape pickers, Frick maintains the social and cultural component of the harvest, while allowing the true expression of the grapes and soil to come through in the cellar. He vinifies with natural yeasts only, and lets the wines lay on their fine lees for 5 to 9 months, in oak casks that are up to a century old, without any additional stirring for traditional Alsatian depth and character. He likes to make most of his wines without the addition of sulfur because he says they have more surface tension. This wine is one of them, and it is also unfined (but is lightly filtered). It does in fact have exciting, bright surface tension, while still being wonderfully smooth and round. It has bright red cherry and berry fruit at the forefront, but is accompanied by complex minerality and a touch of spice. It has elegantly balanced and integrated tannin, with darker cherry fruit on the luxuriously long finish. Biodynamically grown, low-intervention/natural wine, vegan.