Domaine Belema Ab Ovo 2022

Grape: Gringet, Altesse
Vintage: 2022
Type: White

This skin-contact white wine is a unique alpine blend of old-vine gringet and young altesse grown in the Savoie region. The hand-harvested grapes undergo a five-week whole-bunch skin maceration before being pressed directly into traditional clay amphorae. The juice ferments spontaneously with native vineyard yeasts and ages for twelve months inside the clay vessels without temperature controls. Bypassing modern filtration and commercial additions, the wine is bottled entirely unfined and without any added sulfur.

It pours a hazy amber-gold color, releasing distinctive aromas of dried apricot, citrus rind, white flowers, and fresh mountain herbs. On the palate, a medium-bodied frame pairs stone fruit flavors with a distinct, tea-like tannin structure. A gentle phenolic grip frames the mid-palate cleanly, balanced by a sharp beam of mineral acidity. Subtle notes of raw hazelnut and wet rock add depth across the textured mouthfeel. It finishes completely bone-dry, leaving a lingering trace of salinity.