Sweet. The Altenbourg vineyard lies to the east of Schlossberg, just below the Grand Cru Furstentum. The soil here is composed of limestone and rich clays and as such it is considered an optimal site for Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris and Muscat. There are, however, several plots of Riesling, which favour the late-picked styles. Laurence Faller is a genius when it comes to sweet whites, creating ethereal wines that, despite their profound depth, always offer superb mineral drive and freshness. Her 2009 Altenbourg VT is divine, super pure and full of floral, citrus rind, ginger and flinty aromas and flavours. The 120gm of residual sugar is perfectly balanced by a glade of ripe, citric acidity. Powerful, silky and mesmerisingly long, this is a restrained, understated Vendanges Tardives from the very top drawer. A wine we simply could not resist.

"Bright yellow. Orange flower, mint and tropical fruit on the sexy nose. Then very fresh and racy in the mouth, with refined flavors of mint, minerals and liquid slate framing the spicy white stone fruits. Finishes suave and long, with a lovely sugar/acid balance (123.5g/l residual sugar and 6.85g/l total acidity)."

93 points, Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

"Silky and focused by vibrant acidity, this wine offers lovely texture and flavors of apricot, Fuji apple, honeysuckle, lemon wax and subtle spice and smoke. Mouthwatering, with a snap of salinity on the finish. Drink now through 2025."
93 points, Wine Spectator