Albert Boxler Gewurztraminer Reserve 2021
We have 6 in stock (Inventory is live and accurate)
The Land
Albert Boxler is a granite domaine, but its Gewurztraminer grows on limestone. The fruit comes from the hillsides of Turckheim, just south of Niedermorschwihr, including the Heimbourg lieu-dit. The soil choice matters for this grape. On heavy or very warm ground, Gewurztraminer can turn oily and flat; limestone tends to hold acidity and keep the perfume focused. Turckheim sits where the Fecht river leaves the Vosges for the Rhine plain, in the mountains' rain shadow, one of the driest stretches of France. Long, dry autumns let the grape ripen fully, while the limestone keeps that ripeness from tipping into heaviness. That combination is why this Gewurztraminer from Alsace drinks with more lift than the grape's reputation suggests.
The Wine
Albert Boxler Gewurztraminer Réserve 2021 is 100% Gewurztraminer, hand-harvested, pressed, and cold-settled before a spontaneous fermentation, then bottled without fining. Expect rose petal, lychee, fresh ginger, and orange blossom, a silky, mid-weight middle with sweet spice, and a finish that stays fresher than most Alsace Gewurztraminer. The Réserve has historically shown more acid lift than the grape usually allows, and the 2021 vintage leans into that. Spring was cold and the vine cycle ran late, a very wet July brought heavy mildew, and yields fell sharply across the region. Gewurztraminer in 2021 kept its aromatic signature but carries a lighter frame than in warmer years, which suits a Réserve built on perfume and cut rather than weight.
The People
The Boxlers have farmed in Niedermorschwihr since an ancestor arrived from Switzerland in 1673, but the family name did not appear on a bottle until the twentieth century. That changed with Albert Boxler, who came home from Montana after World War II, brought in the 1946 harvest, and became the first in the family to bottle and sell under a family label, a design still in use today. His son Jean-Marc carried the domaine forward, and Albert's grandson Jean took over in 1996. The wines are still made in a small cellar beneath the family home, and the vineyards are farmed organically. More than three centuries in one village shows in how closely each site is read.
Food Pairing
Start local: Munster cheese, from the valley just upstream of Turckheim, served warm with boiled potatoes and cumin, where the wine's perfume meets the cheese's funk and salt. Vietnamese pork-and-shrimp spring rolls with herbs and nuoc cham play the lychee and ginger against lime and fish sauce. A Moroccan lamb tagine with apricots and preserved lemon matches the sweet spice while the acidity keeps the dish from feeling heavy. For dessert, take a cue from a New York lunch Jean shared with his importer and serve a chilled bowl of peeled lychee. This is the bottle to open when takeout arrives and nobody wants beer.
We ship wine to most states with a $100 minimum order for shipping. We don't ship spirits nor beer.
Weather shipping advisory: Orders placed during times of extreme heat or extreme cold will be held for no charge until more favorable weather returns.
The Alsace wine region is located in northeastern France and is known for producing aromatic white wines. The region benefits from a cool climate with a combination of continental and maritime influences, allowing for the cultivation of grape varieties like Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Pinot Gris. Pinot Noir has also been making major strides in this border region.
