Vineyards and winemaking
Rosacker lies on the northern side of Hunawihr, its south-east-facing slope set on deep limestone rich in magnesium and silica. The nearby Vosges bring a cooler influence than many Alsace limestone sites, extending the ripening season and helping Gewurztraminer develop fragrance and concentration without losing definition.
The grapes are picked by hand and whole-bunch pressed, followed by a natural fermentation and maturation on fine lees. For the 2016 vintage, time in bottle has added savoury and honeyed nuances to the variety’s exotic fruit while Rosacker’s limestone character keeps the wine composed.
Tasting notes
Appearance
Deep golden yellow, bright and clear.
Nose
Dried rose, lychee and quince are layered with candied orange, acacia honey and warm ginger spice.
Palate
Rich and enveloping, with ripe tropical fruit and a rounded sweetness balanced by fresh, mineral-edged acidity. Bottle age brings notes of preserved citrus and gentle spice, while the finish remains poised, persistent and distinctly floral.
Food pairing
A fine match for duck liver parfait with toasted brioche, glazed ham with cloves, chicken tagine with apricot, or a well-ripened Munster. For a vegetarian option, try roast squash with ginger, toasted hazelnuts and a little blue cheese.
Background story
Rosacker is one of Alsace’s most celebrated grands crus, prized for wines that unite power with a firm limestone spine. Domaine Mader farms its holdings organically and relies on hand harvesting, whole-bunch pressing and patient lees maturation to translate the site with as little distraction as possible.
Sommelier’s Choice was introduced to the Mader family’s wines through a recommendation from Eric Zweibel MS, an Alsace-born sommelier who trained under Gérard Basset MS MW. This mature 2016 shows precisely why the estate’s Rosacker wines merit attention: varietal generosity shaped by a serious, age-worthy terroir.
