Magnum Gauthier Blanc 2021

Magnum Gauthier Blanc 2021

Jean-Marc Dreyer

Here's a rarity, a curiosity, a challenge, and a precious bottle. If you're already familiar with Jean-Marc Dreyer's Origin range, a series of maceration cuvées based on the six Alsatian white grape varieties—Sylvaner, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Auxerrois, Pinot Gris, and Muscat—you'll find this one, in a way, the synthesis and summary of that range. For good reason: it's the result of blending the fin de cuvée of each Origin reference after bottling. But why Gauthier? It's the first name of a pilgrim on the road to Santiago de Compostela who spent some time with Jean-Marc Dreyer and took part in the work in the cellar. After noting that this blend of fine vintages was excellent to drink, he suggested that Jean-Marc bottle it and make it into a special vintage. "It tastes so good, it would be a shame not to!" It tastes incredibly good, in fact, notes the winemaker. So this vintage is naturally named in honor of Gauthier. Before bottling, Gauthier is kept for two to three months in barrels to marry the flavors and give unity to the wine. This unusual decision has produced a vintage in its own right, delicious, full of fullness and character, with a distinct touch of controlled oxidation. Gauthier is always packaged in magnums and, of course, contains no more sulfites or additives than the vintages from which it is composed. That is to say, zero.

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“Maceration is a tradition in Alsace!” says Jean-Marc Dreyer, adding that direct pressing in this region is a modern invention, linked to the advent of electricity. In the past, people worked by hand and let the grapes macerate before sending the marc to the press.” Whole-bunch maceration is Jean-Marc Dreyer’s signature and represents 85% of the estate’s production, the rest consisting of direct-pressed whites, often aged using controlled oxidation. Jean-Marc succeeds several generations of his family at the Dreyer & Fils estate, established in 1830 between Obernai and Molsheim. Upon taking over the estate, he immediately opted for biodynamics, but hesitated for a while between several methods: at first, his wines were more oaky, aged in new barrels with stirring. Then, a sweet period: all his wines contain residual sugar. In 2008, he tried vinifying without any sulfur and found his direction: the following winter, upon returning from the pilgrimage to Compostela, he swore never to add sulfur to any wine again. Having made this decision, he affirmed his style around skin maceration, quite extensive, chiseled, always surprising on Alsatian grape varieties, bringing out their structure without sacrificing their delicacy. Jean-Marc works in single-varietal or blended cuvées and also produces Pinot Noir reds of surprising depth.