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Ladies
and Gentlemen, friends and clients,
The awfully bad weather of
summer 2008 made us fear a repetition of the climatic scenery 2006, i.e. a
subtropical autumn, hot and damp, generating a galloping putrefaction. But
in life there's no telling what another autumn will bring... Thus, after a
final important rainfall on Saturday the 12 of September, the northern
wind invaded Alsace permanently and efficiently as never before the wind
dried out the rot , that had already started to develop here and there.
So, from a situation where harvest was urgent, the inversed scenery
occured: we had to give the grapes time to mature, in order to get a lower
malonic acid, at this stage to high because of the permanent cold and also
because of a heterogeneous flowering that generated "millerandage" i.e.
very small berries and uneven grape maturation.
This is why the wines of 2008 contain a high acidity that gives a solid
backbone favouring a long aging, provided that the acidities have been
allowed to mature before harvest. The cold weather is also a source of
preservation of beautiful and typical aromas of fruit, certainly favouring
a good harvest of Riesling.
I'm also optimistic about the Gewurztraminer and the Pinot Gris.
What else could I tell you in a few lines, with a few words? Last spring
the first worldwide competition of Gewurztraminers, "Gerwurztraminers du
Monde", was held in Strasbourg and the Domaine Seppi Landmann was
acknowledged for its exceptional Gewurztraminers, with one gold medal and
one silver medal for this prestigious grape variety that nowhere else in
the world finds its full expression as entirely as in Alsace.
In the competition "Rieslings du Monde" the vineyard could add another
gold medal to its eloquent record of achievments. You may find all the
results on my website: www.seppi-landmann.fr
The ever growing numbers of buyers "en primeurs" are well rewarded for
their confidence in the Grands Vins d'Alsace de Seppi Landmann since many
years back, and I'm always happy when you telephone me or write to me that
you will come and taste an old vintage that has pleased you.
I finish these few annual words by recommending you to read In Vinos
Satanas, written by the leader writer of "Revue des Vins de France",
Denis Saverot.
And, in spite of the current crises, I borrow the slogan from an advert
for wine made by the Ministry of Agriculture between the wars: "French
wine, health, joy and hope".
That's what I wish you for the coming 2009.
Happy New Year.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Your Winemaker,
Seppi Landmann
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