April Wine Focus - Spring in Alsace

2001 Trimbach CFE is definitely not Kate Moss. I would go for Cate Blanchett.

And 10 years is often not nearly enough for this wine to show anything, much less its best.

This bottle needs to take acting lessons then. Curious thing is I have since read some other reviews of this same wine, vintage and all, and while there was a comment about it being too young, there were plenty of folks getting honeysuckle and all manner of "flavor" out of it. My palate could be defective, certainly those who taste my cooking might say so. In any case I would think it has to show something. If it's a bottle that requires 20 years before being at all presentable, well that would make us late for the theatre and that's just not on.

[David M. Bueker]

Tying last month's Wine Focus to this month's review of Alsace, mega-Rhone producer Chapoutier is venturing into Alsace. See the story here.

Tying last month's Wine Focus to this month's review of Alsace, mega-Rhone producer Chapoutier is venturing into Alsace. See the story here.

Thanks for posting this, David.

I have some misgivings about this venture and detect a certain arrogance in Michel Chapoutier's reported words as if he thinks that he is coming to teach the Alsatians to make the best of their terroirs (a bit like some of the Mondavis' communiqués at the time of their ill-fated venture in Languedoc). Here is an extract of the article.

Speaking at the tasting in London on Tuesday this week, he said: “There is a position for Sylvaner and we have to defend that,” adding: “I have been very impressed by some of the Franken wines and Sylvaner is a good introduction to Alsace.”

As for the absence of residual sugar in his new range of seven labels from the 2009 vintage (see below), he said that the Alsace climate is suitable for the production of dry wines and that it would always struggle to compete with Germany for sweet Rieslings. “We are not boxing in the same division,” he said, stressing Germany’s supremacy.

All his wines have, however, undergone a 100% malolactic conversion because, he said, “lactic acid is more stable”, and “we wanted wines with a lower level of acidity that we don’t have to hide with residual sugar.”

Comments:

- AFAIK Alsace has always been a producer of Sylvaner, some of which is very good.
- I wonder how many VTs and SGNs Chapoutier has actually tasted. I don't find that those from, for example, CSH which I have tasted inferior to the best German efforts, only different.
- Still I am pleased that he will be concentrating on making dry wines but I wonder if he is making the right call in subjecting all the wines to malolactic conversion. Trimbach's policy is the reverse and no doubt contributes to the superbly bright focus of their best wines.

PS I note that he will be offering Riesling from GC Kastelberg. I shall post later today on one from Marc Kreydenweiss.

We opened an Alsace Riesling on two successive evenings. This enabled a good comparison in which vintage overtrumped grand cru terroir. If both wines had been 2001, my preference may well have been reversed.

Alsace Grand Cru Kastelberg Riesling 1997 – Marc Kreydenweiss, Andlau, Alsace – Alc.13.5%, made from grapes certified biodynamic. 1997 was a rich low acid vintage in which I am regrettably overstocked. From drinking its grand cru stable-mate Wiebelberg a two and a half years ago I was expecting noticeable RS and I got a lot of it (I seem to recall someone mentioning 20g/l).
C was quite deep yellow
N was floral and spicy with a whiff of petrol and an undertow of sweetness.
P was full and rich with white fruit, flowers and spice and burnished sweetness but with less minerality than I noted in Wiebelsberg and smooth acidity just sufficient to avoid flabbiness and cloying but not enough IMO to make for a really exhilarating experience. OK with asparagus and fine ham and better, probably, with a rich fish or chicken preparation. It had a certain baroque splendour but was not really my thing; 15.5/20++.

Alsace Riesling Pfoeller 2001 – Meyer-Fonné, Katzenthal, Alsace – Alc. 13%
Last time I drank this wine over two years ago I complained that it was not really dry but, coming with the Kastelberg still in mind, this was no longer an issue because the lively acidity and backbone made an altogether better balanced and food friendly proposition. Both colour and nose were remarkably similar to the Kastelberg’s but divergence emerged on the palate.
C: Deep yellow/gold
N: Well developed and fragrant with notes of white fruit and flowers, a slight dab of petrol and a slightly candied burnished note which made me expect a sweeter wine than turned out to be the case.
P: Medium-full in body with good “gras”, mouth-fill, structure and aromatic expression showing minerals, slightly saline backbone and lively acidity which balanced well the RS (I guess 5-7g/l) perceptible towards the clean finish. A very good Riesling and much more my thing; 16/20++.

RANT:

Neither bottle gave any indication of sweetness/dryness and could have fooled the unwary ordering in a restaurant or even taking from his/her own cellar without having opened a previous bottle. I am sure that the Kastelberg would be “demi-sec” at the driest according to EU definitions, the low acidity giving a sweeter impression than most “demi-sec” (3 or 4 on the Z-H indice scale). The Pfoeller was probably technically “sec” (<9g RS v compensating acidity) but was far from bone dry (probably 2 on the Z-H scale). I think that an agreed system of indicating sweetness/dryness is indispensible to give confidence to the consumer. Some producers see this but little progress seems to have made in agreeing a common system; Zind-Humbrecht has an “indice” number running from 1 (bone dry) to 5 (as sweet as VT) for wines excluding VT and SGN; René Muré has a cursor on a bar running from “sec” through “demi-sec” to “moelleux” but some that he designates as “sec” hardly seem that to me; and so on.

[David M. Bueker]

Thanks for posting Tim. I would actually expect Chapoutier to be arrogant. He has reached a position of prominence, and it is the rare person who does not allow that to turn to arrogance. I do share your misgivings about malolactic fermentaiton. I like my Riesling bright.

And thanks as well for you rant on sweetness levels in Alsatian wine. Given that a couple of prominent producers have adopted systems, and neither one has caught on I am dubious that some sort of universal scale will ever come to pass.

I have always wondered what a great winemaker could do with the slate of Kastelberg, (it is the sole GC with that soil), but sadly only Kreydenweiss, Gresser and Wach have larger parcels...

Hey, I just saw on the net that the Chapoutier Kastelberg 2009 is for sale. Malolactic and ten months in foudre! I got to speak to Pierre T, that might - just might - be the future for Alsace!

Greetings from Sweden / Fredrik L

I have always wondered what a great winemaker could do with the slate of Kastelberg, (it is the sole GC with that soil), but sadly only Kreydenweiss, Gresser and Wach have larger parcels...

Can't speak for many vintages, but to my taste there is a lot to like about Kreydenweiss' 2001 and Guy Wach's 2005 Kastelbergs. The last couple of '01 Kreydenwiess Kastelebergs I had were delicate, elegant, and and lovely compliments to rich seafood dishes.

2008 Kuentz-Bas Auxerrois Trois Chateaux -- Round, dry, and refreshing with hints of vanilla and peach pit.

I have always wondered what a great winemaker could do with the slate of Kastelberg, (it is the sole GC with that soil), but sadly only Kreydenweiss, Gresser and Wach have larger parcels...

Hey, I just saw on the net that the Chapoutier Kastelberg 2009 is for sale. Malolactic and ten months in foudre! I got to speak to Pierre T, that might - just might - be the future for Alsace!

Greetings from Sweden / Fredrik L

Hi Frederik,

According to my French reference books, the unique soil at Kastelberg is "schiste de steige"; I'm not geologist enough to know if "slate" is an adequate translation. In my limited experience Marc Kreydenweiss seems a very good producer, if not outstanding; I remember a sublime 1971 Kastelberg tasted at about the turn of the century. However, he was not able to get over the limitations of 1997, if this bottle was typical; in particular I could not find the intense minerality which that soil is supposed to bring.

FWIW, the Bettane/Desseauve Grand Guide awards 19/20, a rare rating, to his Kastelberg 2008, when lively acidity and mineral expression should not be a problem. I think that Marc's son is now in charge.

Let us wait and see what Chapoutier achieves but I am not holding my breath in pleasurable anticipation.

Tim, our opinions clearly diverge. (But I should have written schist, you are right there.) I have had decent wines Kastelbergs from Kreydenweiss, but none worthy of its terroir, or atleast not of what I suspect the terroir could bring forth.

When it comes to Alsace Michel and Thierry are jokes, in my opinion. They have learned (or at least Thierry has) everything from Olivier Humbrecht, and if the rieslings do not come from granite (or sometimes Rangen´s volcanic soil) they are wasted on them. Boxler´s Sommerbergs great wines? Come on!

Wait and see what Chapoutier achieves with his 100% malo approach? Okay. I for one hope he fails miserably. I do not like his arrogance, and I do not like people mistreating my beloved grape. And 100% malo for riesling is nothing less, in my world.

Greetings from Sweden / Fredrik L

PS. I hope no one mentions Deiss, then I will throw a tantrum. He vexes me more than anyone else, except perhaps Nicolas Joly.

[David M. Bueker]

I was going to post a note about the 1998 Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Heimbourg, but it was oxidized.

Bah.

Have had some great experiences with some of those 98 ZHs, that's a real shame. (Cork failure?)

Bah.

Have had some great experiences with some of those 98 ZHs, that's a real shame. (Cork failure?)

I thought that this sort of thing only happened with white Burgundy and occasional old style Savennières . I wonder if screwcap would solve this problem as well as TCA. The funny thing is that I have heard Olivier Humbrecht speaking firmly in favour on screwcaps and politely squashing some Belgian ITB people who favoured synthetics as an alternative closure. However I have yet to see a single bottle from Zind-Humbrecht closed by screwcap.

Tim, our opinions clearly diverge. (But I should have written schist, you are right there.) I have had decent wines Kastelbergs from Kreydenweiss, but none worthy of its terroir, or atleast not of what I suspect the terroir could bring forth.

When it comes to Alsace Michel and Thierry are jokes, in my opinion. They have learned (or at least Thierry has) everything from Olivier Humbrecht, and if the rieslings do not come from granite (or sometimes Rangen´s volcanic soil) they are wasted on them. Boxler´s Sommerbergs great wines? Come on!

Wait and see what Chapoutier achieves with his 100% malo approach? Okay. I for one hope he fails miserably. I do not like his arrogance, and I do not like people mistreating my beloved grape. And 100% malo for riesling is nothing less, in my world.

Greetings from Sweden / Fredrik L

PS. I hope no one mentions Deiss, then I will throw a tantrum. He vexes me more than anyone else, except perhaps Nicolas Joly.

Frederik,

This discussion has led me to do some googling about Kastelberg's Steige schist and it is clearly a rare kind different from other schist. There are several very learned articles but I provide links to a couple of the more populist which I can understand, one in French http://www.vinht.tv/Les-terroirs-schisteux.html and the other in English http://www.alsace-route-des-vins.com/ne ... age/en.cfm .

I am with you on Deiss. Here is what I wrote after a tasting in Novemeber.

Marcel Deiss
I have very little experience of this controversial estate, so I jumped at the opportunity. I guess that the presenter was Jean-Michel Deiss’ son, Matthieu. He seemed totally committed to the estate’s 200% terroirist philosophy, even going so far as unwillingness to give the varietal composition of the crus which I was tasting, only remarking that the varieties chosen were those most suited to the site. The first four wines tasted were at least demi-sec in my estimation and the comment was that this was how the balance naturally comes out; to my complaint about pairing difficulty, he answered the estate’s website gives suggestions. The last two were frankly sweet and I preferred them.

On this showing, I must confess to being unconvinced by this approach. The wines were accomplished and there were some interestingly unusual flavours emerging but, in particular, I missed the strong personality of Riesling which IMO has all the purity, terroir reflective ability and complex aromatic character that one can want without blending. Deiss would no doubt say that I need education to break out of the varietal brainwashing.

Langenberg 2007 (€23) showed a lot of tobacco in its aromas and a slightly sweet attractive spiciness of the palate; 15.5/20.
Potenberg 2007 (€29). There was exotic fruit, orange peel and pineapple, here and again a slight sweetness offset by some moreish acidity; 16/20.
Schoffweg 2007 (€32) was quite sweet with good acid balance; 15.5/20.
Gruenspiel 2004 (€26) also showed a lot of orange peel and pineapple but more tension and backbone than some of the previous; 16/20++.
Huebuhl 2005 (€29) was frankly sweet with attractive notes of ginger evidence of botrytis and good balancing grip; 16.5/20.
Altenberg de Bergheim grand cru 2006(€56) was again frankly sweet and showed greater depth and refinement than any of the others with excellent acid balance; 17/20.

The ranges from Weinbach and Dirler-Cadé, which were also on show that day, demonstrated what was missing with Deiss.

Nice note Tim.

I am wondering if there is anyone here with extensive knowledge of the Alsace area. Languedoc and Portugal had some great visitors who knew the area really well. One such person here would be an advantage eh.

I seem to remember a Norse thunder god knowing a thing or two about the region.

You remember him too Rahsaan? I sure wish he would at least visit once in a while.

[David M. Bueker]

Nice note Tim.

I am wondering if there is anyone here with extensive knowledge of the Alsace area. Languedoc and Portugal had some great visitors who knew the area really well. One such person here would be an advantage eh.

I seem to remember a Norse thunder god knowing a thing or two about the region.

You remember him too Rahsaan? I sure wish he would at least visit once in a while.

Not going to happen.

WTN: 2006 Domaine Zind-Humbrecht – Pinot Gris Calcaire

About 2 months ago I bought this and another Alsace PG. I was looking for something as a standard, something to compare side-by-side with the two vintages of PG that I have made. Suffice it to say that I missed by a mile. Deep gold, almost amber. My first thought was “oxidized?” which didn’t seem right, as the natural cork was in excellent condition. The legs seemed to indicated a thick viscosity and high alcohol. So, I stuck my nose in the glass – honey, melon, peaches. A long, full finish, with sweetness and a slight bit of tannin, but low in acidity. This wine reminded me of a Rulander TBA I had a few years ago, but less sweet and less intense. I guess it to be about 4% RS and high alcohol, over 14%. Upon further close review of the bottle, it is listed at 14% ABV and Indice 2. I now understand Tim’s rant. This is a very enjoyable wine on it’s own and I like it a lot, but not at all what I was expecting. It did not pair well with my pan-fried haddock, nor did it in any way help me out to see if my PG is up to snuff. My 2010, is bone dry, about 11.3% ABV and has a slight copper cast. I will open the other Alsace PG next week and will read the label in detail before opening.

[David M. Bueker]

Howie,

I would expect that a better benchmark for your wines would be Oregon Pinot Gris. Dry, lighter in body and more in a refreshing style. (just guessing)

Howie,

I would expect that a better benchmark for your wines would be Oregon Pinot Gris. Dry, lighter in body and more in a refreshing style. (just guessing)

I would tend to agree with Mr. Bueker's assertion. I'm certainly no expert, but the Alsace PGs I prefer definitely have some richness to 'em. Check out the Adelsheim PG, I did a note recently on it.

Thanks. The other bottle of Alsace is 2008 Ziegler Pinot Gris; 12.5% ABV; a scale on the back label, that goes from 1 to 8 for sweetness, lists this one as a 4. I do have a Stone Wolf from OR and one from Ontario.

[David M. Bueker]

Just from my (somewhat limited) experience, I find that the St. Innocent Pinot Gris is about the best one from Oregon. You might also look to Navarro in California. They do wonderful things with Alsatian varieties.

You might also look to Navarro in California. They do wonderful things with Alsatian varieties.

You're the second person I've heard mention these folks in short order. I might have to actually order some now. They seem to do a fairly wide range of varietals/styles, quality across the board?

[David M. Bueker]

You might also look to Navarro in California. They do wonderful things with Alsatian varieties.

You're the second person I've heard mention these folks in short order. I might have to actually order some now. They seem to do a fairly wide range of varietals/styles, quality across the board?

Overall quality is consistently good, stellar in the cluster select late harvest wines (TBA-esque). I generally stick to their Alsatian varieties and some Pinot.

Howie,

I would expect that a better benchmark for your wines would be Oregon Pinot Gris. Dry, lighter in body and more in a refreshing style. (just guessing)

Had a Lemelson Pinot Gris last night and was impressed. It was in the style David describes and quite enjoyable. My perspective going in was show me and it kinda did.