Hunter McKirdy | Alsace | Le Bois des Ormes | 2023 | 750ml

Description

Product description for Hunter McKirdy Le Bois des Ormes 2023

Wine Information

The vineyard lies east of Zellenberg on a low hill of Oligocene limestone marl. The north side of this hill has long been prized as a site for Pinot Noir. Part of this slope is known as “Ruest,” referring to the elm trees (Alsacian: “d’Rüaschta”) that once grew here. “Le Bois des Ormes,” the “Elm Forest,” comes from a small plot planted with an old Massale selection in 1963. The Pinot is rooted in deep limestone marl soils, which are rich in iron but not very fertile, resulting in naturally low yields. The cooler exposure mitigates the effects of the relatively low altitude (240 m). “Les Bois des Ormes” is a wine made from 100% Pinot Noir. A slow and gentle pre-fermentation of the whole bunches took place over eight hours, followed by approximately 30 days of fermentation, pressing, and complete malolactic fermentation in wooden barrels. The wine then ages on its fine lees in these barrels for 10 to 18 months without bâtonnage. Finally, it is bottled unfiltered.

Color

fairly transparent ruby red.

Nose

Le Bois des Ormes is a still young and youthful-looking Pinot Noir, whose reductive phase is not yet quite complete, with notes of matchstick. These intertwine with notes of red and black berries, a touch of sloe, earth, undergrowth, and fermented notes of tobacco and tea. A dark-berry, finely spicy, quite cool and polished Pinot.

Palate

On the palate, Le Bois des Ormes still shows a touch of the reductive note, but here, too, it’s just the beginning. Dark spicy notes follow, combining with sous bois, earth, present tannins, a clear acidity, and a fine minerality. In a sense, it is certainly a concentrated wine, but it is by no means powerful or heavy. Rather, it has a somewhat dancing quality. It seems as if every fruit that flashes here also brings its seeds and stems with it, along with its own aroma and texture. Ideally, you would put that aside for a bit, but this has a lot of potential; it already has depth, good length, and plenty of energy.

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Keywords: Hunter McKirdy Le Bois des Ormes 2023 Alsace France

Producer website: https://www.instagram.com/huntermckirdy_vins/?__d=1