A dessert wine from Dutch soil, it's both superb and highly exclusive. The Pinot Gris grapes used for this wine are cultivated in a unique way. The grapes are harvested very late, with great care, hence the name Late Harvest. Harvesting is meticulous work, picked grape by grape, as only the best grapes can nourish this dessert wine. Unfortunately, this wine can't be made every year because the weather has a significant impact on the harvest. Only warm late summers are suitable for this dessert wine.
Apostelhoeve & Oechsle
You've probably never heard of it, but in the wine world, the sugar content of the grape is called Oechsle. This is crucial when making a dessert wine. To make a Late Harvest wine, the Oechsle content must be at least 116. Otherwise, there simply aren't enough sugars to achieve the sweetness in this dessert wine. This creates considerable tension for Winemaker Mathieu Hulst. Because once you choose to make a Late Harvest, there's no turning back. A harvest can fail if there isn't enough warmth in late summer. This vintage, they were lucky and gambled on many warm late summer days, and they succeeded. The final Oechsle content was 138, and the festivities could begin. A total of 1000 liters of this Apostelhoeve Pinot Gris Late Harvest was produced and bottled in small 0.375L bottles.
What does Pinot Gris Late Harvest taste like?
The juice is exceptionally beautiful and pure. Golden in color, the aroma reveals hints of honey, ripe apricots, lychee, and a hint of tutti frutti. The palate is full-bodied with a lovely light freshness, abundant flavor notes of apricots, red apple, mango, ripe pears, and a hint of grapefruit. A true gem from Maastricht, and yes, it remains to be seen whether it will ever be produced again. This makes this Pinot Gris Late Harvest the most exclusive Dutch wine, and also from Apostelhoeve.
How long can I store Apostelhoeve Pinot Gris Late Harvest?
Yes, be careful with it, because aside from asparagus, it's Dutch gold in a bottle. We believe the wine can age in the bottle for up to 20 years, if stored in a dark place. The flavors will become a bit creamier and fuller, but as you know, that's not a problem. If you'd like to serve a dish with this dessert wine, we recommend pairing it with fruity desserts. Crème brûlée and cheeses are also delicious with Apostelhoeve Pinot Gris Late Harvest.
2020
