A dry, mature and concentrated Grand Cru Alsace Riesling from a 1.23-hectare selection of old vines within the Altenberg de Bergheim.
The 2010 Addict 1.23 combines ripe yellow fruit, dried apricot and nectarine with smoke, mineral and saline notes. The palate is broad and concentrated, but the naturally high acidity of the 2010 vintage provides tension and length.
Produced in very limited quantities, this is a structured, gastronomic expression of Riesling intended for extended bottle aging.
Region: Alsace, France
Appellation: Alsace Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim
Vintage: 2010
Producer: Gustave Lorentz
Cuvée: Addict 1.23
Grape: 100% Riesling
Alcohol: 14.33% ABV
Residual Sugar: 3.09 g/L
Total Acidity: 9.33 g/L
Vine Age: Approximately 45 Years
Parcel: 1.23 Hectares
Harvest: Hand-Harvested, 12 October 2010
Aging: 9 Months on Gross Lees
Production: 3,000 Bottles
Style: Dry Grand Cru Riesling
The name “Addict 1.23” refers directly to the surface area of the selected vineyard parcels.
Gustave Lorentz conducted detailed vineyard and soil studies to identify three parcels within its holdings in the Altenberg de Bergheim Grand Cru capable of producing a more concentrated, age-worthy expression of Riesling.
Together, these parcels cover 1.23 hectares and were planted exclusively to Riesling.
The domaine then selected the healthiest and highest-quality vines within these parcels and monitored more than 200 berries during ripening to determine the optimum harvest date.
The 2010 was the first vintage produced.
The grapes were harvested entirely by hand and gently pressed for almost four hours.
Approximately 25% of the juice was matured in new, medium-toast Tronçonnais oak demi-muids, while the remainder was matured in century-old large wooden casks.
The wine then spent approximately nine months on its gross lees.
The use of new oak is unusual for Alsace Riesling and contributes additional breadth and texture without changing the fundamentally dry, mineral character of the wine.
Nose:
Ripe yellow fruit, dried apricot and nectarine, followed by citrus, smoke and mineral notes. Bottle age adds complexity, with honey, wax, and developed Riesling aromatics beginning to emerge.
Palate:
Broad and concentrated on entry, with ripe yellow fruit and considerable volume. The richness is balanced by firm acidity and a pronounced saline-mineral character.
Structure:
Full-bodied for Riesling, with substantial concentration and high natural acidity. The dry profile and mineral structure prevent the wine from becoming heavy despite its ripeness and alcohol.
Finish:
Long, dry, and saline, with persistent citrus, stone fruit, smoke, and mineral notes.
2010 was a cool and relatively high-acid vintage in Alsace.
A cold winter and cool spring delayed the growing season, followed by warmer conditions during July. Sunny weather through September and October allowed the grapes to achieve good concentration while retaining unusually high acidity.
The Addict 1.23 was harvested on 12 October 2010, producing a wine with both considerable ripeness and 9.33 g/L total acidity.
That combination of concentration and acidity is central to the wine’s longevity.
Drink: Now–2035
Preferred Window: Now–2032
At approximately sixteen years of age, the 2010 is now in its mature drinking phase.
The wine retains the acidity and concentration required for further development, but there is little reason to regard it as a bottle that still needs additional cellar time.
For those who prefer mature Riesling—with developed notes of honey, dried fruit, smoke and mineral alongside the remaining citrus and stone fruit—this is an appropriate time to open it.
Well-stored bottles should continue to develop through the early 2030s and potentially beyond, although bottle condition and storage history become increasingly important at this age.
I would not decant aggressively. Open about 30 minutes before serving and let the wine develop gradually in the glass.
Serving Temperature: 11–13°C
Avoid serving too cold; the wine’s mature aromatics and texture become considerably clearer as it approaches cellar temperature.
The combination of maturity, concentration, acidity, and salinity makes this more suitable for serious dishes than a conventional young Riesling.
Recommended Pairings:
Lobster · Langoustines · Scallops · Turbot · Dover Sole · Sea Bass · Foie Gras · Roast Poultry · Veal · White Truffle · Morels · Comté
Pair with turbot or Dover sole with a restrained butter sauce, or lobster with a light shellfish reduction.
For a more distinctive pairing, Gustave Lorentz specifically recommends white truffle. The wine now has sufficient maturity and savory complexity to make that combination particularly appropriate.
This is also a bottle worth serving on its own and allowing to evolve in the glass.
The combination of old-vine Riesling, a 1.23-hectare Grand Cru selection, unusual élevage and a production of only 3,000 bottles makes the 2010 Addict 1.23 notably different from the standard Altenberg de Bergheim Grand Cru Riesling.
