Alsace wines never disappoint: Here's three new discoveries

 I have to admit I have a bit of a soft spot for Alsace, the distinct region in the east of France bordering on Germany.  I first visited the area in the late 1970s when as a student at Bristol University I secured a travel bursary for the summer vacation.  As I recall all I had to do was submit a couple of hundred words outlining my plans and the funds were in my bank. My application would no doubt have had some grandiose aspirations about wishing to understand the culture but I'm pretty sure there was no reference to the subject I was studying - music. As a result then I returned to uni for the new academic year well versed in the wines of Alsace and none the wiser about the musical heritage, practices or composers.  I had admired beautiful villages on the wine road such as Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr and tasted the wares of Familles Hugel and Trimbach.  But I dread to think now what my teachers made of the post-trip report I submitted (if indeed they even read it), but my understanding and love of the wines of Alsace engendered by this opportunity continues to this day.

Alsace has a long tradition of labelling wines by grape names with varietals such as Sylvaner, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer used for white wines and Pinot Noir for red / rosé.  Traditions here clearly owe as much to Germany as they do to France, hardly surprising given that Alsace was annexed by Germany after the Franco-Prussian war for nearly 50 years at the end of 19th and beginning of 20th centuries. And undoubtedly from my perspective it was Gewürztraminer that caught my attention back in the 70s. With its distinctive aroma, unique taste and lingering sweetness it seemed amazingly seductive against the tart, characterless white wines I'd had limited exposure to by that point. No doubt it was these features too that encouraged UK wine buyers to source Gewürz in their first forays into Alsace wines for high street retailers and Gewürztraminer retains its prominence on the shelves of most large supermarkets - for example Sainsbury's Alsace Gewurztraminer, ASDA Extra Special Gewürztraminer, Waitrose Cave de Turckheim Gewurztraminer  

Pinot Gris is a more recent arrival on supermarket shelves from the Alsace region and you can't help questioning whether its introduction has something to do with the popularity of Italian Pinot Grigio over the past decade.  In reality the wines are different 'expressions' of the same grape variety from different areas. If like me you have never really thought much of mass-market Italian Pinot Grigio, Alsace Pinot Gris is a pleasant surprise. It tends not to be bone dry, is quite oily, and has pronounced stone fruit flavours. Waitrose Cave de Beblenheim Pinot Gris Reserve is a decent example.

And so to the latest discoveries ..... (all 'exclusives' at Majestic)

Chosen by Majestic Alsace White 2023 14% £11.99 ( Mix Six: £9.99) 

They say: “Beautifully fresh and elegant, this wine is packed with crisp flavours of lemon, peach and pineapple. A great pairing for the bitterness of goats cheese dishes.”

I say: "This is a great beginner's introduction to Alsace wines. It is a blend of 40% Pinot Gris, 40% Gewürztraminer and 20% Muscat. Even with three grape varieties in the mix the spiciness of the Gewürz cuts through".

Henri Ehrhart Gewürztraminer 2022 14% £15.99 (Mix Six: £11.99)

They say: “This round and robust wine shows a harmonious balance of delicacy and freshness, with classical varietal notes of lychee and rose. A delicious and versatile match for spicy dishes such as tagines or curries, but also sweet desserts or cheeses.”

I say: "Fragrant tropical fruit flavours with lychee, mango and spices.  Ideal accompaniment to spicy Asian dishes or drunk on its own as a tasty aperitif"

Henri Ehrhart Pinot Gris 2023 13% £15.99 (Mix Six: £11.99)

They say: "Equal parts generous and elegant, its fruitiness is balanced with a savoury note of hazelnut. As perfect as an aperitif as it is with a dessert, it’ll go great with white meat, goat’s cheese, or can be enjoyed on its own"

I say: "A crisp wine with bright fruity flavour.  Off-dry and medium acidity". 

 

Footnotes

• I definitely recommend Crémant d'Alsace as an alternative sparkling wine.  For my money it is better than most Prosecco and being made by the traditional method like champagne with secondary fermentation taking place in the bottle it is a more sophisticated product.  Waitrose Cave de Turckheim Crémant d'Alsace is a blend of Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc and is discounted from £13.99 to £9.99 until 22 October 2024.  This is an excellent bottle of fizz whatever the price.
• Sainsburys sell a very drinkable Pinot Gris albeit from New Zealand made by Yealands -Sainsbury's New Zealand Pinot Gris, Taste the Difference.  It makes an interesting taste-off against an Alsace Pinot Gris.