2024 Domaine Allimant-Laugner Riesling Grand Cru Praelatenberg BIO

The Allimant-Laugner Riesling Grand Cru Praelatenberg is the flagship model and comes from the Praelatenberg Grand Cru vineyard. Vines have been cultivated here by the Benedictines since the beginning of the 9th century, hence the name "hill of the prelates," although its origins may be older, as evidenced by the presence of Roman monuments. The reason this vineyard holds Grand Cru status is due to its unique terroir. The gneissic soil (gneiss) consists of granite rich in ferrous elements (quartz, mica, and feldspar), and the Allimant-Laugner plot is the southernmost, where the slopes are steepest. This fantastic Riesling has everything a top wine should have, but for a Grand Cru, at a very attractive price.

The Grand Cru Riesling Praelatenberg grapes were harvested in September. The wine ferments with its natural yeasts for 5 weeks and ages on fine lees (sur lie) for 6 months in large oak barrels, after which it undergoes a further 18 months of bottle aging before release. The Praelatenberg Riesling is characterized by its freshness and energy, with a distinct salinity that offers very good aging potential. The minerality bursts from the glass as if the grapes came straight from the granite. It is very delicate with great precision, good acidity, and persistent salinity and minerality, finishing with an impressively long, tense, and stimulating aftertaste. It goes without saying that we are very enthusiastic, especially since one often has to pay double for a Riesling of this level without any difficulty. 92/100 Parker

ABOUT DOMAINE ALLIMANT-LAUGNER

The origins of Domaine Allimant-Laughner begin with two families cultivating the vineyards since the 17th century: the Laugners in the village of Dieffenthal and the Allimants in Saint-Hippolyte. In 1816, after participating in all of Napoleon's campaigns, Captain François-Antoine Allimant purchased more vines on the hills of Haut-Koenigsbourg and a beautiful farmhouse dating back to 1664 in the village of Orschwiller, the current property of the estate. Like most families, the Allimants still lived off the cultivation of multiple crops but chose to focus more on wine, with Charles Allimant beginning to bottle his wine in 1949 and developing its distribution with his daughter Mariette and her husband René Laugner. Their eldest son Hubert took over in 1984, giving the estate true fame together with his wife Françoise, and since 2013 with their son Nicolas. The family manages Domaine Allimant-Laugher as a magnificent heritage spanning more than 10 generations.

The privilege of producing a product from this unique, authentic terroir also entails a responsibility; consequently, Domaine Allimant-Laugner works in a natural manner with the utmost respect for the environment. All tasks (pruning, harvesting, maintenance) are carried out, and this is also because close contact with the vines allows for a better understanding of their needs. To effectively manage the vigor of the vines and preserve the ecosystem, they work primarily with alternating plowed and grassed rows. In the cellar, too, modernity and tradition must be well balanced to produce precise and fine wines, yet with a minimal human and ecological footprint. They work with a brand-new pneumatic press and temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, and fermentation takes place exclusively with natural yeasts. The foundation is laid in the unique vineyards, which have been managed by the family for 10 generations. With respect and modernity, Domaine Allimant-Laugner produces great wines.

FUN FACT: Read more under the Winery tab – here you will also find some photos and a video of this beautiful estate.