Last month I spent a few hours tasting through the 2008s (plus a few other vintages) with Laurence Faller at Domaine Weinbach. This was a marvelous experience, and Laurence was extraordinarily tolerant of my incessant questioning (and the length of my stay!). She shared many thoughts on the 2008 vintage, especially vis-à-vis the 2007 vintage. [...]
An unusual Grand Cru in that the grape that is perhaps its greatest exponent is Sylvaner. There are not many vineyards devoted to Sylvaner in Alsace at all, let alone Grand Cru real estate, but the Sylvaner from Zotzenberg can be absolutely electrifying, and there are not enough of them that ever make it to [...]
The Cradle of Alsace Wine Some of the great exponents of Alsace wine operate out of this fabulous wine village, but it remains a mystery to most, even among those who have traveled in Alsace. I’m sorry that it is overlooked, because it is an explorer’s dream, and since it isn’t overrun with tourists, the [...]
There are legendary estates that get profiled in books with titles like Great Wine Estates of the World or something similarly aggrandizing, and there can be no doubt that an estate like Zind-Humbrecht would be counted among these. There are a handful of producers in Alsace that are legitimately in the same top peer group, [...]
The signature dish of Alsatian cuisine, Choucroute is a sensational vehicle for one of the most important culinary contributions the region has to offer–Charcuterie. Charcuterie is elevated to an art form in Alsace, where meat, mostly pork, is preserved in a variety of ways: as smoked parts of the pig (usually the belly); as sausages [...]
If you’re planning a trip to Alsace soon, this may offer a lovely frame of reference. Approaching Kaysersberg by car on the Route du Vin, with a whirlwind tour of some sights around the village.
An unusual Grand Cru in that the grape that is perhaps its greatest exponent is Sylvaner. There are not many vineyards devoted to Sylvaner in Alsace at all, let alone Grand Cru real estate, but the Sylvaner from Zotzenberg can be absolutely electrifying, and there are not enough of them that ever make it to [...]
There are legendary estates that get profiled in books with titles like Great Wine Estates of the World or something similarly aggrandizing, and there can be no doubt that an estate like Zind-Humbrecht would be counted among these. There are a handful of producers in Alsace that are legitimately in the same top peer group, [...]
Pinot Gris in Alsace is not like the average Pinot Grigio from Italy. Pinot Gris doesn’t lend itself to mass production, but that doesn’t stop many Italian producers from making an ocean of Pinot Grigio, which is often tasty, but ultimately simple wine. Certainly you can find high-minded producers in Italy making Pinot Grigio that [...]
If you’re planning a trip to Alsace soon, this may offer a lovely frame of reference. Approaching Kaysersberg by car on the Route du Vin, with a whirlwind tour of some sights around the village.
In the Grand Cru of Goldert, Alsace has its own “golden slope.” If Burgundy’s Côte d’Or is famous for extraordinary Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Goldert is famous for its Gewurztraminer, Muscat, and Pinot Gris, though all four ‘noble’ varieties (and some Pinot Noir) are planted in Goldert. Brief Summary of a Long History Goldert has [...]
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