Rolly Gassmann — Rorschwihr
Marie-Thérèse and
Louis Rolly Gassmann, along with
their son Pierre, create wines
that are legendary throughout France and Europe but have seldom been
tasted in North America. A devoted clientele, including ourselves,
visits them yearly in Rorschwihr to taste and buy these remarkable
bottles. We’re simply delighted to be able to offer them in Ontario.
The philosophy that guides the Rolly Gassmann family centers on as
little interference with the vines as possible, rigorous selection of
grapes, and the most careful handling of both harvest and vinification
to produce wines of the highest quality and specificity.
"What talent! This domaine
is one of the fleurons of the
vineyard: it proposes muscats of dreams, gewürtz of legend and
sylvaner for celebration." Les
Saisons d'Alsace, Fall 2001.
We
tasted some
37 wines with Pierre Gassmann
at this year’s VinExpo and
selected a
group of remarkable rieslings to add to our current offerings.
Riesling Réserve Millésime 2004 — petrol nose, lovely exotic fruit, some sweetness still evident in this rather ‘young’ (for the Gassmanns) cuvée. (JPO/DMO, July 07).
Riesling Rorschwihr ‘Cuvée Yves’ 2002 — Bright start with striking minerality combined with highly floral scents, lean in the mouth and very complex and interesting flavours, excellent finish. (JPO/DMO, July 07).
Riesling Rorschwihr ‘Cuvée Yves’ Vendages Tardives 2000 — big nose of spicy fruits and petrol, waxy spice and fruits on the palate, spice and acid frame, very, very, very long. (JPO/DMO, July 07).
Pinot Noir Rodern 2000 — the last allotment of this favorite is in transit and it continues to be a classic example of Pinot Noir in Alsace. Less aggressive than in younger years, perhaps, but seemless blending of flovours from the smoky end of Pinot, wonderful balance of weight, flavour and structure — delightful!
Riesling Pflaenzerreben 1998 — a return engagement on private order available exclusively at Jamie Kennedy's Wine Bar.
Still available…
Gewürztraminer 2004 — Wonderful clean and spicy nose leads to very good concentration on the palate with a slight sweetness that immediately resolves into spice and very good length. Dominique’s favorite! (JPO, December 2005, Rorschwihr).
Gewürztraminer Oberer Wiengarten 2004 — A classic Gassmann Gewürtz that opens with a good deal of mineral on the nose, generous and filling in the mouth with lots of spice and ripe yellow fruits, typical RG structure that shapes and holds the complex flavours and leads to excellent length. (JPO, December 2006).
In Transit:
Sylvaner Weingarten de Rorschwihr 2005 — Glorious vintage that opens with a lovely nose of floral and fruit aromas that follow onto the palate with excellent complexity and balance, slight sweetness, and very good to excellent length. (JPO, May 2007).
Pinot Gris 2004
VinExpo 2007 -- Tasting Notes Rolly Gassmann June 21/07
Nothing quite compares to a tasting with the Rolly Gassmanns. VinExpo 2007 was no exception and we tasted between 35-40 cuvées over much of a morning while Pierre also served a never-ending series of visitors at the front of his booth. These notes are a bit cryptic perhaps but are intended to show the range and depth of the R-G portfolio. They are listed in the order of service. Our choices arriving in late October are duly noted.
Sylvaner Weingarten 05
discrete nose, rich + full (sweet) very good length - lovely flavours but still young
Sylvaner Weingarten 03
deep nose, gorgeous fruit but sweet, still very young
Pinot Blanc 05
lovely light nose of flowers, almond + tropical fruit, sweet in mouth, touch cloying
Auxerrois Rotiebel 02
very clean nose, some slight vegetal + terroir flavours, bright spicy finish
Auxerrois Moenchereben 01
mineral + spice on nose, big full mouth of freshness, complex flavours with hazelnuts and toast, lovely balance between fruit and freshness, very, very, good length
Auxerrois Moenchereben 00
shy nose, unctous sweetness on top, very clean finish
Riesling Reserve 04
petrol nose, lovely exotic fruit but sweetness dominates**. ARRIVES LATE OCTOBER 2007
Riesling Cuvée Yves 02
Bright start, mineral, lean + very interesting, excellent finish *** ARRIVES LATE OCTOBER 2007
Riesling Pflarenzeregen 99
big petrol, floral + fruit nose with hazelnut & toast, still young, order more 98??
Riesling Pflarenzeregen 02
more mineral, discrete white flower nose, dry attack, sweet middle then very dry + long finish, still closed
Riesling Pflarenzeregen VT 97
honey, wax and incense, dried fruit nose; dried and stewed quince on plate. Rich aromas, not too sweet.
Riesling Rorschwihr Cuvee Yves VT 00
Spice, incense, quince, yellow flowers, petrol on bigish nose; spicy fruits, spice acid structure, vvvl *** ARRIVES LATE OCTOBER 2007
Riesling Kappelweg VT 00
very aromatic nose of incense, yellow flowers (a la gewürz), fruity + sweet on palate, good length but needs time.
Pinot Noir Rorschwihr 02
Black fruit + smoke on nose, full black cherry, bacon, vgl.
Pinot Noir Rodern 04
rubarb and burnt caramel (chocolate?) still tannic, needs time.
Pinot Noir Reserve RG 03
beautiful big nose of welcoming black fruits, charcoal on palate yet sweet with small red fruits (currant/raspberries)in final, vvl. Huge velvety feel – still evolving.*** TEST CASE COMING
Pinot Noir Rorschwihr 03
Lovely black cherry nose with smoke and eau-de-vie. Enormous mouth with floral overtones. Beginning to be well integrated. Very long and spectacular*** TEST CASE COMING
-- more notes to follow…
Riesling Réserve Millésime 2004 — petrol nose, lovely exotic fruit, some sweetness still evident in this rather ‘young’ (for the Gassmanns) cuvée. (JPO/DMO, July 07).
Riesling Rorschwihr ‘Cuvée Yves’ 2002 — Bright start with striking minerality combined with highly floral scents, lean in the mouth and very complex and interesting flavours, excellent finish. (JPO/DMO, July 07).
Riesling Rorschwihr ‘Cuvée Yves’ Vendages Tardives 2000 — big nose of spicy fruits and petrol, waxy spice and fruits on the palate, spice and acid frame, very, very, very long. (JPO/DMO, July 07).
Pinot Noir Rodern 2000 — the last allotment of this favorite is in transit and it continues to be a classic example of Pinot Noir in Alsace. Less aggressive than in younger years, perhaps, but seemless blending of flovours from the smoky end of Pinot, wonderful balance of weight, flavour and structure — delightful!
Riesling Pflaenzerreben 1998 — a return engagement on private order available exclusively at Jamie Kennedy's Wine Bar.
Still available…
Gewürztraminer 2004 — Wonderful clean and spicy nose leads to very good concentration on the palate with a slight sweetness that immediately resolves into spice and very good length. Dominique’s favorite! (JPO, December 2005, Rorschwihr).
Gewürztraminer Oberer Wiengarten 2004 — A classic Gassmann Gewürtz that opens with a good deal of mineral on the nose, generous and filling in the mouth with lots of spice and ripe yellow fruits, typical RG structure that shapes and holds the complex flavours and leads to excellent length. (JPO, December 2006).
In Transit:
Sylvaner Weingarten de Rorschwihr 2005 — Glorious vintage that opens with a lovely nose of floral and fruit aromas that follow onto the palate with excellent complexity and balance, slight sweetness, and very good to excellent length. (JPO, May 2007).
Pinot Gris 2004
VinExpo 2007 -- Tasting Notes Rolly Gassmann June 21/07
Nothing quite compares to a tasting with the Rolly Gassmanns. VinExpo 2007 was no exception and we tasted between 35-40 cuvées over much of a morning while Pierre also served a never-ending series of visitors at the front of his booth. These notes are a bit cryptic perhaps but are intended to show the range and depth of the R-G portfolio. They are listed in the order of service. Our choices arriving in late October are duly noted.
Sylvaner Weingarten 05
discrete nose, rich + full (sweet) very good length - lovely flavours but still young
Sylvaner Weingarten 03
deep nose, gorgeous fruit but sweet, still very young
Pinot Blanc 05
lovely light nose of flowers, almond + tropical fruit, sweet in mouth, touch cloying
Auxerrois Rotiebel 02
very clean nose, some slight vegetal + terroir flavours, bright spicy finish
Auxerrois Moenchereben 01
mineral + spice on nose, big full mouth of freshness, complex flavours with hazelnuts and toast, lovely balance between fruit and freshness, very, very, good length
Auxerrois Moenchereben 00
shy nose, unctous sweetness on top, very clean finish
Riesling Reserve 04
petrol nose, lovely exotic fruit but sweetness dominates**. ARRIVES LATE OCTOBER 2007
Riesling Cuvée Yves 02
Bright start, mineral, lean + very interesting, excellent finish *** ARRIVES LATE OCTOBER 2007
Riesling Pflarenzeregen 99
big petrol, floral + fruit nose with hazelnut & toast, still young, order more 98??
Riesling Pflarenzeregen 02
more mineral, discrete white flower nose, dry attack, sweet middle then very dry + long finish, still closed
Riesling Pflarenzeregen VT 97
honey, wax and incense, dried fruit nose; dried and stewed quince on plate. Rich aromas, not too sweet.
Riesling Rorschwihr Cuvee Yves VT 00
Spice, incense, quince, yellow flowers, petrol on bigish nose; spicy fruits, spice acid structure, vvvl *** ARRIVES LATE OCTOBER 2007
Riesling Kappelweg VT 00
very aromatic nose of incense, yellow flowers (a la gewürz), fruity + sweet on palate, good length but needs time.
Pinot Noir Rorschwihr 02
Black fruit + smoke on nose, full black cherry, bacon, vgl.
Pinot Noir Rodern 04
rubarb and burnt caramel (chocolate?) still tannic, needs time.
Pinot Noir Reserve RG 03
beautiful big nose of welcoming black fruits, charcoal on palate yet sweet with small red fruits (currant/raspberries)in final, vvl. Huge velvety feel – still evolving.*** TEST CASE COMING
Pinot Noir Rorschwihr 03
Lovely black cherry nose with smoke and eau-de-vie. Enormous mouth with floral overtones. Beginning to be well integrated. Very long and spectacular*** TEST CASE COMING
-- more notes to follow…