Technical Details
Estate
In 1896 the Willm family founded the Willm Estate in Barr, at the foot of the majestic Kirchberg de Barr Grand Cru vineyard. Willm has always been concerned with revealing the best of its terroirs and sharing its exceptional wines with the whole world. Thanks to the adventurous founder Emile WILLM, the estate’s wines were the first from Alsace to be exported to the United States in the early 1930s, after prohibition laws were lifted. Their wines are celebrated for their blend freshness, minerality and elegance; they are synonymous with tradition, terroir, purity and refinement.
Winery Technical Data
The Gentil Willm is a traditionnal blend going back to the 19th century from selected grapes grown in the best hillside vineyards. It's an alliance of Riesling (used for its finesse and acidity), Pinot Gris (for its structure), Gewurztraminer (for its roundness) and Pinot Blanc (for its fruit and suppleness).
Vintage: A very mild spring followed by high temperatures in June and July, with episodes of severe drought accompanied by stormy passage allowed a vintage with a perfect health status of the grapes. It was necessary to be very precise in the management of alcohol balance / residual sugars / acids.
- 100% Hand harvesting
- Extended and soft pressing
- 4-6 weeks controlled fermentation in stainless steel
- Maturing on the fine lees for another 2 to 3 months
Gold color with crystalline highlights. Fresh nose with crunchy scents, zests of citrus fruits and fruits of the orchard. Palate is delicate with a retro-olfaction on the crunchy fruit.
Pair with savory tarts, vegetarian dishes, raw fish, fresh cheese, grilled white meats
Alcohol : 12.7% vol.
Residual sugar : 7.5 g/l
Total Acidity: 3.75 g/l
Tasting notes
Subdued notes of ripe pear suggest mellowness. The palate adds fitting, bright freshness and provides a very balanced, if subdued picture. This immensely versatile wine has a dry, fresh finish. This wine pairs well with savory pies, light fare, salads, seafood & melted cheese dishes.
Vineyard
The Willm vineyard is located in the Barr region of northern Alsace at an altitude of 200-400 meters, extending from the mountainous base of the Vosges to the plains of Alsace and the Rhine. Bordered by the Vosges Mountains to the west, the Barr hillsides benefit from a dry and sunny microclimate thanks to their south-southeast exposure, optimal for cultivating the vines. The fluctuation between warm days and cool nights in autumn is conducive to a slow, prolonged grape maturation.
Our diverse soils are a product of the region’s diverse landscape. The mountainous Vosges make way for smaller hills which stretch into various flatlands—just a few of about a dozen geological formations that comprise our region’s landscape. The vineyard itself consists primarily of granite and clay-limestone soils, while the coastal marine environment contributes to the terroir’s mineral-rich quality.