ALSACE
READING
BETWEEN THE WINES:
A
very small amount of light and fruity Pinot Noir is produced
in Alsace but its real gift is in whites.
So,
if white wine is your flavor, consider a dry or sweet wine
from this region. Alsace is the benchmark for aromatic and
spicy white wines.
Some of its specialties are popular favorites, including
Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Blanc.
THE
REGION
The Alsace wine region lies in the northeast corner of France
and is separated from the German border by the Rhine River.
Once part of Germany until reverting back to France after
World War I, Alsace is sometimes confused to be German.
The
main difference though in German and Alsace wines is that
Alsace wines are dry instead of sweet.
Alsace
is not really broken up into districts therefore most of
the wines here are simply named after the grape's name.
THE
GRAPES
The grapes of Alsace are fermented to be rich, bold, and
dry wines — the majority of them white and savory.
Riesling
Such a great dry, the Riesling grape is characteristic of
most Alsace wines — delicate, fruity, well balanced.
Its bone-dry elegance invigorates one of the more affordable
of the Alsatian white wines. This should not be confused
with Germany's sweet Rieslings.
Gewürztraminer
Pronounced geh-VAIRTZ-trah-meener, the Gewürztraminer
grape wines take on a few personalities: the dry, the sweet,
the spicy or even all three at once. Its low acidity and
high alcohol levels may play a trick on your palate. In
the end, you’ll love its variety when it seduces you
with its wonderful aroma, mild fruitiness and a starlight
finish.
Pinot
Gris
Sometimes
referred to as Tokay-Pinot Gris, this grape is second only
to Gewürztraminer in spiciness. It is rich, full bodied,
and low in acidity, but high in alcohol. It takes on more
of an earthy tone with touches of honey. Overall, this grape
has a lot of character.
Sylvaner
A late bloomer and a tough grow, the Sylvaner grape is produced
mostly in the northern region of Alsace. Its juice produces
a pleasant, fresh, mild, albeit subtly fruity, white wine.
Various
Alsace Producers
| Lucien
Albrecht |
Francois
Baur |
| Jean
Becker |
Leon
Beyer |
| Boeckel |
Bott
Freres |
| Bott-Geyl |
Marcel
Deiss |
| Dopff
and Irion |
Dopff
au Moulin |
| Rolly
Gassmann |
Jerome
Geschickt |
| Hartweg |
Zind
Humbrecht |
| Hugel |
Josmeyer |
| Cave
Vinicole de Kientzheim-Kayersberg |
Marc
Kreydenweiss |
| Kuentz-Bas |
Gustave
Lorentz |
| Arthur
Metz |
Julien
Meyer |
| Rene
Mure |
Pfaffenheim |
| Riefle |
Francois
Schwach |
| Schlegel
Boeglin |
Domaines
Schlumberger |
| Pierre
Sparr |
Trimbach |
References
www.terroir-france.com
www.tastings.com
www.epicurious.com
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