Domaine Bechtold, Pinot Gris “Nef des Folles” 2021

“Nef des Folles” translates to “the nave of the mad”—a nave being the central area of a church which houses the congregation. Jean-Marie may well consider himself slightly mad, in his gently self-deprecating way, for such unorthodox experimentation, but this wine makes a compelling plea for his sanity. Comprising Pinot Gris from the limestone-rich Obere Hund vineyard macerated for two weeks on its skins and aged in a single old foudre, this cuvée is vivid and luscious, with notes of honeycomb, ripe apricot, and chamomile. It is both palate-coating and gentle, and its total lack of added sulfur manifests in a palate of great purity and directness.