2016 Riesling Brand Grand Cru

A serious frost episode at the end of April 2017, when budding had already started, seriously reduced production, so Josmeyer made fewer wines in this vintage (no Pinot Blanc Les Lutins, no Alsace Dream and no Fleur de Lotus, for example), but also smaller volumes of many of their wines (for instance, they had to allocate their very popular Pinot Blanc Mise du Printemps). Production volumes were further curtailed because the warm, droughty summer led to small, thick-skinned berries and less juice. As if all that wasn’t problematic enough, esca disease has become a real problem at the estate, especially since Riesling (much like Chardonnay) succumbs to it easily, while Pinot Gris appears to be more resistant to it.