TN: Domaine Schoffit 2001 Pinot Gris Clos Saint Theobald Larme de Lave

[Ray Barnes]

This is a limited production Selection de Grains Nobles from 100% botrytis affected grapes, in a monopole within the Grand Cru Rangen. Larme de Lave literally means tear of lava; I believe the winemaker is implying the product is intended to reflect the essence of the grape, the terroir, or both. To the best of my present knowledge, it has 450 grams per litre residual sugar, 12 grams per litre total acidity, and 4.5% alcohol. Such figures put this wine in similar territory to Hungary's Tokaji Essencia. This wine was $50 US for a 375ml bottle.

The wine has a color not unlike mature Sauternes, yellowish orange topaz. As one might guess, the nose has copious amounts of apricots, honey and dried pineapple, expressing the effect of botrytis very forwardly - more so than any other dessert wine I can recall from France, Germany or Austria. In the mouth, the overall impression is of very high concentration of sweetness and flavour, and a finish that approaches 2 minutes. The colleague I shared this with observed that a few drops has practically the same palate coating effect as a full mouthful of ordinary wine. It also has high viscosity.

I'm having some diffculty assessing this wine, in that although it looked and smelled quite remarkable, I found the sweetness was a bit overpowering, such that I was almost unable to feel the acidity, or to detect elements of its terroir. I am not sure if this is due to a potential imbalance in the wine, or if it is so massive that it should not have been uncorked, and needs maybe 5 or 10 more years. I suspect this wine could go for a very long time. Having also been fortunate to taste Domaine Zind Humbrecht's Clos Saint-Urbain (Riesling and Pinot Gris), also from Rangen, in dry and sweet styles, I find the latter in general to be more complete and complex. My colleague summed up his overall assessment of this wine in one word: heaven. For now my rating is excellent plus, but I would like to try this again several years later.

[Andy Velebil]

I found the sweetness was a bit overpowering,

This is something I struggle with in certain similar wines, such as Sauternes. That massive sweetness versus the lack of noticeable acidity makes it hard for me to enjoy more than a tiny amount.

[Ray Barnes]

Point taken Andy and thank you. Speaking only for myself, I do not mind very sweet wines at all, as long as this characteristic does not completely overwhelm. On further consideration, had I tasted this blind, I would have had difficulty identifying the varietal. In my experience with botrytised rieslings, chenin blancs, and especially gewurztraminers, varietal character is not compromised.

Notwithstanding everything else, in some respects this was quite a remarkable wine.

[Eric Menchen]

Even in Sauternes Andy? SGN and essencia and high number Krachers, yes. But we have a different threshold if you put Sauternes in that category.

[Eric Ifune]

This wine has seeming much more residual sugar than regular Sauternes, SGN, or even Kracher. More like Tokaji Essencia. I've also had a Rene Renou Bonnezeau with over 500 gm/liter and a California Riesling with over 500 gm/liter. These "wines" are more like syrup with low alcohol. They need shockingly high levels of acidity, but can be very, very intense. As was said, a very little goes a long way. A half a glass is about the limit.