When keeping score in the world of haute cuisine, the Michelin star is one’s unit of measure. When I was in Alsace last, the region boasted having the most ‘three star’ Michelin restaurants in France. The third Michelin star puts one at the apogee of their culinary existence. This same dedication to quality is inherent in many of Alsace’s wine producers. These tidy vineyards are often farmed organically or biodynamically and the subsequent wines display a purity of expression that screams the grape variety and that the wine has a sense of place; it is from the region of Alsace.Visiting the region of Alsace is like taking a trip to France and Germany at the same time. Because of its location it has been the subject of many territorial disputes between France and Germany. Now separated from Germany by the Rhine river, and from France by the Vosges mountains, the language and culture of Alsace seem to be a combination of both countries, but are at the same time unique. The hilltops of the lower Vosges are dotted with shells of castles and fortresses, casualties of past invasions. There are also monuments to WW2 battles that took place in the region.
The vinous history of Alsace is one of the oldest in France. Wine was cultivated in Alsace long before the Roman colonization. The Alsatian vineyard landscape covers approximately twelve thousand hectares (2.48 acres/ha), grouped in a hundred and ten villages, which produce on average a million hectolitres of wine.
It is certainly a real curiosity why the wines of Alsace seem to be so underappreciated. It may be because there is no easy way to determine the perceived sweetness level of the wine without knowing the producer’s style or vintage condition. There is now a not-so-obvious code on many labels to give an indication of sweetness. Also, all Alsace wines are mandated by law to be bottled in the region of production in tall bottles called flutes. Perhaps the shape of the bottles puts one in the mindset of an off-dry German wine? Don't be confused by the shape of the bottle! These may look like German wines, but they taste noting like them. For the price of a mid-tier California Chardonnay, you can enjoy a good, full flavored, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc or Gewürztraminer from Alsace.
Geographically, Alsace lies between latitude 47.5 degrees and 49 degrees north of the equator, which typically gives a long, cool growing season. The narrow vineyard strip runs from north to south, along the lower contours of the Vosges Mountains, and spans the Rhine River. As a general rule in the vineyards, Alsace’s heavier clay and marl soils produce wines with richer flavors, more body and weight, while the lighter limestone or sandy soils create wines with more elegance and finesse. Flint, schist, shale, and slate soils tend to give wines with a characteristic oily, minerally aroma reminiscent of petrol and sometimes described as ‛gunflint‚, especially those made from the Riesling grape. The harvest is always segregated by varietal, with the different varieties ripening at different times. Generally, harvesting starts in mid September, and often continues well into November. Riesling is the most widely planted variety, accounting for over 20 per cent of the area under vine. Gewürztraminer is grown on almost as much land but usually represents a smaller percentage of the production, which can fluctuate depending on the vintage. Gewurtztraminer’s average yield is the smallest of all the varieties. Pinot Gris is increasingly popular and accounts for almost 12 per cent of the total area under vine. Pinot Noir has also increased its share as the only red varietal of Alsace. Pinot Noir represents nearly 9 per cent of the total vineyard area. Because over 90 per cent of Alsace’s production is white, and because winemakers are emphasizing the primary grape flavors, most wine is vinified and stored in inert containers, and new wood is seldom used (although see Ostertag). Traditional cellars have large oval wood foudres, many over 100 years of age, literally built into the cellar. Traditionally the same cask will be used each year for the same varietal. The build-up of tartaric acic (tartrates) forms a glass-like lining to the cask, leaving no oak characters able to penetrate the must or mask the wine’s character. Most wines are bottled within a year of the vintage, to retain freshness.
Riesling
Riesling is well suited to a wide range of soils, such as clay-sand and classic schist soils. Riesling prefers soils that are well-drained and not especially fertile. Considered by growers to be their most noble variety, Alsace Riesling is almost invariably bone dry. Young Riesling can display floral aromas, although it is sometimes fairly neutral. With age it takes on complex, gunflint, mineral aromas, with crisp steely acidity and very pure fruit flavors. Riesling is dry, rich and strong, with nuances of mineral or flowers. It combines delicacy with elegance. Well-balanced and long in the mouth, it is a culinary match bar-none that displays all its character and originality when served with fish, sea food and any meal that demands a dry and fruity wine.
Gewürztraminer
A limestone core and deep, fertile soils are ideal for Gewurztraminer. Heavy soils containing some clay enhance the aroma of Gewurtz. Usually dry to off-dry, but its low acidity combined with high alcohol and glycerol, give an impression of sweetness. Gewürztraminer has a distinctive spicy aroma and flavor, with hints of lychees and grapefruit. The naturally high sugar levels of Gewürztraminer make it ideal for late harvest sweet wines, and this is the most frequent variety found as a Vendange Tardive or late-harvest wine. It is characterized by its complex fruity, floral and spicy aromas. It is ideally suited to foie gras, exotic dishes, spicy flavors such as Thai, sweet and sour foods, cheeses such as the traditional munster, also blue cheeses and desserts.
Pinot Gris
Pinot Gris prefers deep soils rich in minerals and is extracted completely dry, which is necessary for the development of interesting wines in the coldest regions. Pinot Gris was long underrated in Alsace. It combines some of the spicy flavors of Gewürztraminer with the firm backbone of acidity found in Riesling, giving a wine which ages particularly well. Young Pinot Gris is reminiscent of peaches and apricot, with hints of smoke. It is very successful in a Vendange Tardive style. Powerful, opulent, round and persistent in the mouth, this is the ideal companion to foie gras, white meat, poultry and roasts.
Pinot Blanc
Pinot Blanc likes deep soils rich in minerals. It has a distinct preference for light and fertile chalk soils rich in trace elements. Pinot Blanc is a round, delicate and fruity wine, well-balanced but supple. Pinot Blanc can easily be confused for Chardonnay. It has tropical elements and can be round on the palate. Pinot Blanc pairs well with virtually anything but is a particularly nice combo with grilled fish and roast poultry.
Let’s focus on a few producers. These wines have recently arrived via (of course) a refrigerated container and are presently at the height of freshness.
Domaine Ostertag is a fairly young winery, which began life in the 1960s. The wines are stunning. Andre Ostertag illustrates his attachment to the soil via his wine labels. Ostertag’s labels are pictures of the soil where the grapes for the particular wine grew.André Ostertag is one of the superstar producers in Alsace, who is as radical as his wines are excellent. His 14 hectares are all farmed biodynamically, and include over 120 different vineyard parcels covering five villages, from which he produces 17 different wines. Since 1984 André has rejected official classification and instead created his own: Vin de fruits (wines that he thinks do not express a specific terroir in green bottles); Vin des Pierres ('stone' wines in brown bottles - terroir specific wines); Vin de Temps (sweet wines in clear bottles, 'Temps' indicating both time spent on vine and the right weather conditions). Andre was one of the first in Alsace to barrel ferment and age, and almost all wines are made in small barrels, even though oak influence is very moderate, partly due to using only Vosges oak - which has small cells, and a dense structure - and very lightly toast. "The power and quality of the fruit means oak does not dominate."
"If, however, his failures fall apart so spectacularly, his triumphs are utterly beguiling, complete and satisfying. Andre Ostertag is an eccentric, a wacky winemaking freak surrounded by the sanity and boredom of Germanic commercialism ..." --from the Committee Interprofessionnel du Vins d'Alsace.
From fruit picked on November 24, says Ostertag) Medium gold with a green tinge. Knockout nose of meat, spice and smoke, with a saline note; reminded me of foie gras! Big, smoky, spicy and full, with lovely ripe acidity framing the smoked meat flavors. Can't quite match the 2005 version for botrytis lift, but this is fat and very expressive. 91 points Steve TanzerOstertag Gewurtztraminer 'Fronholz' VT 2004, Reatil $56.99 Warehouse $54.99
Medium bright yellow. Knockout nose melds pineapple, spring flowers and a whiff of honeyed botrytis. Impressively rich and dense but fairly dry, with soil-driven notes of crushed stone and petrol as well as an exotic pineapple aspect. The 14.2% alcohol actually serves to accentuate the sweetness from noble rot, and yet this wine finishes dry and firm, with more wet stone than fruit showing today. Very long and youthfully tight. 92(+?) points Steve Tanzer
Ostertag Riesling 'Muenchberg' VT 2004, Retail $74.99 Warehouse $69.99
Kuentz-Bas has its origins in 1795, when a winemaking business was founded by Joseph Kuentz. In 1918 a marriage between the Kuentz and Bas families resulted in considerable expansion of the domaine, as the two families combined their vineyards and changed the name of the business to Kuentz-Bas. From then on the family firm went on but had a few bumps in the road.. The buildings and cellars were severely damaged during the Second World War, and the family needed five years to get the business back on its feet. Currently the Kuentz Bas winery is enjoying their finest production in over a decade. On to a few of the wines.
This wine is a blend of several varieties. This wine is a fantastic entry level wine to get the idea of what Alsace can offer.
Kuentz Bas Alsace Blanc 2005, Retail $14.99 Warehouse $9.99
Lifted, penetrating aromas of smoked meat and spices. Medium-sweet and concentrated, with firm balancing acids and a core of spicy flavor
Kuentz Bas Gewurtztraminer 'Pfersigberg' Grand Cru 2001, Retail $59.99 Warehouse $49.99
Aromatic nose which combines cured meats and cinnamon oil. Rich and nicely spicy, quite aromatic in the mouth, with a strong character of lychee and smoke.
Kuentz Bas Gewurtztraminer 'Cuvee Tradition' 2005, Retail $29.99 Warehouse $21.99
Aromatic nose features peaches and spice. Very approachable, with fine fruit character and freshness. Nicely balanced.
Kuentz Bas Pinot Blanc 2005, Retail $14.99 Warehouse $12.99
Tropical notes. Soft and round, with ripe flavor complexity. Well balanced.
Kuentz Bas Pinot Gris 'Tradition' 2005, Retail $23.99 Warehouse $19.99
Lively aromas of orange peel, lemon, minerals and spices. Juicy, fresh, nicely delineated flavors of lemon and lime. Offering up a good intensity of fruit character with a crisp finish.
Kuentz Bas Riesling 'Tradition' 2005, Retail $14.99 Warehouse $13.99
Bright aromas of lime skin and white flowers. Has richness and depth, fruity balancing acidity giving the wine a refreshing juiciness.
Kuentz Bas Pinot Gris Cuvee Caroline VT 1998, Retail $69.99 Warehouse $54.99
Please do yourself a favor and take the time to check out a few of our other selections from the region such as Zind Humbrecht and Domaine Weinbach. These are both biodynamic as well.
