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Lorentz

Established by Gustave Lorentz in the 19th century, Lorentz today manages close to thirty hectares of vineyard, all of it located within Bergheim, where the company is based. It has remained a family business over this time, and is currently run by Georges Lorentz, a graduate of Beaune's Ecole d'Oenologie, with support from his father, Charles. Their vineyards include a considerably sized plot (over 10 hectares) in the Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim, where they currently tend all four varieties permitted for Grand Cru sites (the Gewurztraminer being the focus of this week's tasting). There is also a much smaller plot in the Grand Cru Kanzlerberg. Lorentz has a particularly good reputation for Gewurztraminer, although they have comparable plantings of Riesling, whereas other grapes are planted in much smaller quantities.

The vast majority of wines bearing the Lorentz label, however, will come not from the vineyards mentioned above but from sites owned by independent growers, who provide Lorentz with grapes under contract. Much of these grapes go towards making the Cuvée Particulière range of wines, which are very good value. Some may also be sold under other names, such as Jérôme Lorentz or J Muller. (20/8/01)

Contact details:
Address: 68750 Bergheim
Telephone: +33 (0) 3 89 73 22 22
Fax: +33 (0) 3 89 73 30 49
Internet: www.gustavelorentz.com

Lorentz - Tasting Notes

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Lorentz Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim 1998: Initially a soapy, perfumed nose, but it quickly develops more interesting aromas of bacon fat, tropical fruit, cumin and other spices. The palate has a rich, glycerine-like texture, although the wine has only a medium body. There are some good tropical fruit flavours, with a fresh, lemony edge, which is a little incongruous in view of the very low acidity. This low acidity is fine when drunk alone, despite the rich texture, but the wine struggles to be noticed when drunk with food. Gentle spice pervades the palate, cushioned by the appealing fruit and rich texture. It culminates in a clean finish, with a dash of pepper. 16/20 (August 2001) Label