Log in / Sign up Ostertag Riesling-Clos Mathis 2019
2019 The Clos Mathis belongs to Ostertag’s long-serving former vineyard manager, Hubert Mathis. This remarkable 0.6-hectare vineyard surrounded by stone walls is located in Ribeauvillé, in line with the grand crus Geisberg and Kirchberg. The soil is composed of a granitic mother rock and gneiss, with poor fertility. The vines are grown on terraces, on a very steep south-east facing slope which benefits from hot days and cool nights. The heat is tempered by cool winds coming down at night from the valley that ends just after the vineyard. This particular location allows slow ripening, preserving acidity and finesse in Riesling.
Hubert Mathis inherited this plot from his parents. He has entirely rebuilt it and was initially selling the grapes to a local merchant, until 1997 when he and André decided to reveal this very beautiful historic vineyard which has been esteemed since the Middle Ages and the time of the Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre.
Delicate raw fish carpaccio or Ceviche
The 2019 was delicately airbag-pressed as whole bunches for nine hours. It was fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks and was aged on its lees for a year. It was bottled at the end of May 2021, with a balance of 13.5% alcohol and 2g/L residual sugars. It’s a dry wine, certified organic and biodynamic. The 2019 vintage was a sunny one, which gave racy wines thanks to dry extracts rarely achieved before. There is a nice density in the middle of the mouth. Time and aeration will allow the wines to unfold. The finish is prolonged by beautiful bitterness and punctuated by a refreshing touch. – Arthur Ostertag
