El Hem Roussette de Savoie Altesse

Smells like 16 or 17. Gilles does not believe in putting vintages on labels. Or corks. I’ll say 17. Hay, pickled lemons, mineral, wild flowers, ripe something, maybe a minor tropical fruit. Really fine pointed minerality. This is 17. Acid is very very low. It’s rich, but man that low acid does not work. Good texture and length. Barely a 9.0. Gained weight, some freshness and complexity. 9.0 to 9.1 to 9.2.

Enigmatic and just tremendous aromas. Ripe pear, lavender, mountain herbs, Bosc pear, apple skin, lovely nose. Mountain stream. So fresh, dynamic and pure. Palate is rich, ripe, opulent and concentrated with a whiplash of juicy fruit, herbs and insane acidity. Long, balanced and so pure. Shows ripeness of vintage with classic Altesse acidity, herbaciousness and freshness.

A brilliant El Hem. Startling after 5 years in bottle. Nose of hay, wild flowers, mountain air, some spice, so complex and distinctive. Palate is insanely complex, mineral, opulent and powerful with wonderful textured depth. A sense of creaminess belies all the acidity. Amazing finish.

Always the most unique and enigmatic of the Berlioz lineup. The sole Altesse. I love this wine. That ripe 2017 vibe on the nose with terrific wet hay, wild flowers, pine, hint of sweet olive, really unique and complex .wow what a palate. Laced with acidity and such unique citrus and bitter fruit flavors. Super juicy and long. This years is gamey/olivey on the palate. It’s so cool. Wow what acid. This will last and last. Electric and so long. A baby but unreal.

What a nose. Persimmon, melon, ripe and balanced, so pure and so clean, not crazy acid but it’s so balanced it doesn’t matter: so pure.

100% Altesse (Rousette)

Nose of amazing, sappy pear, lavender and sooo much honey! Like an crazy aroma coming from this glass, our favorite of the night.

Palate is super clean, hint of coconut, honey, honey, honey, macerated pear and light minerality. My first Altesse! Decanted over 4 hours, worth the wait.

Jaune claire
Un beau nez élégant mur et fruit jaune
Bouche fraîche avec une maturité mais comme gomme par l acidite
Très bel équilibre

One of my favorite whites in the world. I love this Altesse. Honeyed nose with huge minerals, some alpine scents and incredible depth. You can smell the sunshine. Juicy and rich with terrific ripeness and lots of gras and fat. Almost greasy but just enough acuity to keep it together. A different animal than the 14 and should be drunk sooner than the 14. Lots of hay, mineral and faint bitter fruits on the finish.

Another 15 Berlioz freak show. The overachieving runt of the litter, the Altesse. It's my sentimental favorite of all the wines. Super high acid is probably why. Also the unique flavor profile. Huge deep aromas of mountain violets, other mountainous wild flowers, earth, intense almost saline feral minerality. Fruit, flowers, slices galore. A regular aromatic symphony. Stunning. Just so sick. Palate is at once unctuous and rich yet super fine, elegant and shockingly refined and balanced. Prodigious concentration and purity. Opulent yet fresh and super precise. Amazing power. Amazing density yet playful. Great great wine.

Gorgeous pine nose. Really a wow nose. Palate is mineral and lovely fruit. Juicy finish. Terrific. Bought from fass selections.