Alsace
Resting between the French Vosges Mountains and the Rhine River, Alsace has incorporated both styles of winemaking into its own, unique tradition. Although disputed over by France and Germany for more than one thousand years, the last switch occurring after World War I, little appears to have changed for generations: the region boasts ruined castles, stone churches, and old villages. The famous white wine is made from German varieties in the French style. Americans often think of German varieties (and by extension, those from Alsace) as overly sweet – however, this is not the case.
The Alps lend variety to Alsace’s soil, and consequently the region produces an abundant amount of varieties, including Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Muscat, Pinot Blanc, Chasselas, and Sylvaner. Chasselas and Sylvaner are blending grapes that are losing acreage to the more noble Riesling, while the others can stand alone.
The most popular variety in Alsace, Riesling, is bone dry, with steely acidity and floral aromas that mature into flint and wet slate. Gewürztraminer, Alsace’s second signature wine, is fruit-forward with high acidity, making it ideally suited for drinking with spiced food. Also in Alsace’s repertoire is the often-underrated Pinot Gris, which combines the spice of Gewürztraminer with the acidity of the Riesling.
Other varieties include Pinot Blanc, a simple white wine with a clean acidity and a crisp dryness, and even a little Pinot Noir, which in Alsace is light and soft with strawberry flavors. Sparkling wine in the region is called Crémant d’Alsace, and consists of Pinot Blanc and possibly Pinot Blanc and Riesling. Crémant d’Alsace is growing in popularity, and currently represents about 10% of all wine made in Alsace.
The final major Alsatian wine is the deep and rich Vendage Tardive. Literally “late picked,” Vendage Tardive hangs longer on the vine, developing additional sugars, to create a semi-sweet wine with increased amounts of alcohol. Only Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Muscat, and Pinot Gris are acceptable varieties, additional sugars may not be added, and the grapes need not be botrytized. Vendage Tardive can possess flavors of wonderful richness and depth.
