Riesling Grans Fassian Laurentiuslay GG 2016: review and tasting notes of an excellent Moselle wine
The Riesling Grans Fassian Laurentiuslay GG 2016 is a pungent and elegant wine that represents a classic Moselle archetype. Delicate and ethereal fruit, great minerality, citrus fruits that paw and explode in bursts, hypnotize your nose and then that subtle, glacial finesse that makes the Riesling of these areas unmistakable.
And we don’t say this to go along with the Moselle cliché, but precisely because the wines of the Grans Fassian winery are born from an extreme fragmentation and in this case we are dealing with the Laurentiuslay cru, the most important and valuable of the company.
A slate slope that flows into the Moselle River with a gradient of about 60%. Each operation is done by hand and the harvest is nothing short of heroic, the processing in the cellar is simple and as respectful as possible to translate all this elegance into power into fermented juice.
And we tell you right away that the result is excellent. Perhaps, in this hipster and natural at all costs period, it is not the most articulated, original and artisanal Riesling around, but in terms of sober elegance, it defends itself very well.
If you want to do a Riesling tasting to make beginners understand that they are approaching the Riesling grape for the first time, let them taste the Riesling Grans Fassian Laurentiuslay GG and they will finally understand the wine.
No hydrocarbons from a methane refueling station, just lots of citrus fruits and an avalanche of rocks, with a delicate floral background. No frills, just a solid, rocky, shining and sharp concentrate of grapefruit and lime.
From this point of view it is a wine of unique and moving purity, although you must consider that we tasted the 2016 vintage, not very recent, but not so old, since you could drink this bottle even in 30 years, calmly, calmly.
Organoleptic characteristics of the Riesling Grans Fassian Laurentiuslay GG 2016
The aromas are clear, punctuated with crystalline elegance: delicate white fruit with pear above all, citrus fruits such as grapefruit, lime, lemon and bergamot.
Certainly, you can find lots of ginger and lemongrass, verbena, very delicate floral references. And then that mineral brand permeates and creates the aromatic backbone of the wine.
There are no infinite references, it is not an attacking Gewurztraminer, it is not buttery like a Chardonnay from Burgundy and it is not peppery like an Austrian Grüner, but its greatness lies precisely in this sparkling and icy purity.
On the palate, it is dry, dry, slender and sharp like a slate, innervated by an acidity that tastes of pink grapefruit peel and never tires and makes the taste precise, dynamic, satisfying and never an end in itself.
It is already balanced and well balanced, but we are only scratching the surface of its apotheosis, which will arrive at least in 2026, give it a few more years and you will drink a small, large, delicious Mosel Riesling. Long and whispered finish that fades into a floral triumph.
Price
45 euros, a price to say the least fabulous.
Food pairings
All Thai dishes are welcome, but it is not perfect only with pad thai, try it also with parmigiana ravioli, spaghetti with clams, chicken tikka masala, Chicken Cacciatore, Vitello Tonnato, truffle risotto, pasta alla carbonara.