2021 Domaines Schlumberger Saering Riesling Grand Cru

The 2021 Domaines Schlumberger Saering Riesling Grand Cru presents a direct, frank, focused and structured profile. Aromas show lemon, yuzu, star fruit, green apple, and white peach, alongside subtle floral notes and a distinct chalky minerality. On the palate, the wine is dry and medium-bodied, with pronounced acidity that drives a linear, tightly wound structure. The fruit remains restrained, supported by a firm mineral backbone and a slight saline edge. The finish is long and persistent, emphasizing citrus, ginger, white flower, spices, and mineral tones, with a sense of precision that speaks to its balance while its finish nods to its aging potential. 

93 Points, Wine Enthusiast, September 2023, Layla Schlack. Dainty apricot aromas are bolstered by scents of lemon zest and ocean spray. While this wine is defined by lemony acidity, its texture is soft, creating an overall impression that's friendly and welcoming. Minerality leads into a long finish that hints at petrol qualities. This wine could easily spend a few years in the cellar to let those characteristics develop. But those who don't want to wait will find a friendly, sunny wine that perfectly balances racy citrus zest, saline mineral notes and a bit of soft, juicy stone fruit.

92 Points, Vinous Media, January 2023, Anne Krebiehl MW. The 2021 Riesling Saering Grand Cru is grown on Jurassic limestone. The first mention of this site was in 1250. It was an island surrounded by an inland sea. At Schlumberger, Saering is made only from the part of the grand cru that was this island. The nose is subtle with lemon rind. The palate is concentrated and pervaded by bright, ripe lemony freshness. The body is slender but a picture of citrus freshness and brightness, in line with this cooler year, tingling almost like lemon sherbet but based on undeniable stoniness. (Bone-dry)

“The colour is lemon yellow with light green reflections, of medium intensity. The disc is shiny, limpid and transparent. The wine presents youth.

The nose is frank, pleasant and of great intensity. We perceive a dominant of fruity scents, citrus fruits, zest of yuzu, lemon and star fruit. Aeration amplifies these smells and reveals coconut milk, white flowers and spices, grated ginger. The perfect quality of the grapes translates a racy odour profile, refreshing to perfection.

The attack on the palate is slender, the alcohol support balanced. We evolve on an incisive medium, marked by pearling. We find the range of aromas of the nose, focused on citrus fruits, lemon zest, yuzu, star fruit, coconut milk, white flowers and spices, ginger. We feel a hint of firm bitterness. The finish presents a great length, 11-12 caudalies, as well as a frank liveliness and a persistent bitterness. The balance is tense, structured by great mineral bitterness. The range of aromas provides great pleasure. Great Riesling in the making.”

By Pascal Leonetti “Best French Sommelier in 2006” April 2023

Domaines Schlumberger is a large, family-owned estate based in Guebwiller, with origins in the early 19th century when the Schlumberger family shifted from textiles to viticulture, focusing on steep, terraced vineyards along the foothills of the Vosges Mountains. Over time, the estate expanded into one of the most significant contiguous vineyard holdings in Alsace, anchored by key Grand Cru sites including Kitterlé, Kessler, Saering, and Spiegel, each defined by distinct soils and exposures. Planted primarily to Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, and Muscat, the wines emphasize dry, site-driven expression, supported by manual vineyard work and restrained cellar practices such as slow fermentations in neutral oak. In recent years, the estate has incorporated more sustainable farming methods, while maintaining a clear portfolio structure from regional wines to Grand Cru bottlings. Today, Domaines Schlumberger is considered a reference point for southern Alsace, known for wines that balance ripeness, structure, and mineral clarity within a consistent, site-focused framework.