Lucien Albrecht wine tasting with Choucroute Garni.

Yup, big night downtown tasting with the export manager and 30 participants!! I am just preparing the ultimate Alsace dish as I type..love the juniper berries. Stay tuned forumites....... especially the Alsace fanatics!!

http://www.lucien-albrecht.com/index-gb.htm

Well, it was a pretty good tasting and excellent turnout. Mike B was there along with the missus and needless to say the food was complimented on!! Munster cheese was also available and the export manager lead an interesting discussion. We managed to taste the Cremant, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling and 2 vintages of the Gewurztraminer. Tasting notes will follow but the Pinot Blanc was my WOTN, and I am a P Gris fan!! Usually the PB is oh so neutral but this was delicious and complex. Not spoofy, Otto. The prices are very reasonable too.

Sounds great, Bob.

Yes, some PBs can be bland and dull, I agree. But in the right hands, PB can be wonderful too. If you've had the Alsace version, now you need to try some PB from Friuli. They can be quite wonderful.

I love Choucroute Garni Alsacienne too (even though it's probably monstrously unhealthy for us). Once, in the Rhone I had a different version, sans the heavy juniper, because the chef was from Auvergne, where they make it with different spices. It was pretty good too---although without the juniper it didn't have quite the same zing to it that I was used to.

Thanks Hoke. I used bratwurst, smoked pork loin (not hock),smoked bacon etc. It was delicious and such a good matchup with the wines.
If one has never been to Alsace, one can only imagine the huge plates they use for this dish!!!!

Bob did an excellent job with the food and it paired perfectly with the wines.

I agree with Bob; the Pinot Blanc was also my WOTN (my wife picked it as hers, as well). I don't have my notes on hand, but it was full of flavours with a round, waxy mouthfeel. The Pinot Gris was also very good, and the cremant had a nice, creamy mousse.

The Riesling was OK, but it didn't floor me and I prefer Albrecht's '04 Gewurz to the '05 we tasted last night.

That Pinot Blanc, though, it was something else. And great QPR, too. I'll try to get some more detailed notes up later today.

Bob, you'll have to correct me if I'm wrong (I think it's in my notes from last night) but isn't the Pinot Blanc blended with a touch of Pinot Auxerrois?

I`m not sure but you could be right. Maybe check the website?
Right now, that Pinot Blanc is one of the white wines of the year.

I thought the P Gris was an understated version for Alsace, tad average no excitement for me..the PG fan!!

Love the wines and sauerkraut in any form for that matter....please do finish up and post the notes...my mouth is watering...

All right, I've got some time to sit down with my notes, though they're not very detailed.

<b>Cremant d'Alsace Brut NV</b> floral nose, light citrus in the mouth, nice tart acid in the front of the mouth, creamy mousse.

Bob, I stand corrected. The cremant, not the Pinot Blanc, is blended with Auxerrois.

<b>Pinot Blanc Reserve 2004</b> soft, round, oily feel in the mouth, floral nose; citrus and melons in the mouth.

<b>Riesling Reserve 2003</b> I swear I picked up fresh spearmint on the nose. Minerally, crisp and clean in the mouth.

The Riesling wasn't bad, but it wasn't that impressive either. However, all the wines were great with the food Bob prepared. I don't think the cheese worked with the wines at all.

<b>Gewurztraminer Reserve 2005</b> Spicy, with tropical fruit and pineapples on the palate. Verging on being too sweet. I prefer the '04 as I found it to be a little more subtle.

<b>Pinot Gris Reserve 2004</b> Bertrand Denoune, Albrecht's import manager, said this was his favourite among the choices, as it combines characteristics of the other three. Tropical fruits, mint and melons on the nose, apricot and spice in the mouth, with a pleasing tartness.

Thanks. Great job. I prefer brief notes to ones that are too long and contain words I don't know anyway.

The Pint Blanc does sound good. Haven't had it for a while. Perhaps I might pick some up for something different...

Mike B, just found the `04 Pinot Blanc in the Winecellar. $17.00 Cdn naturally. DeVines only has the new `05.

Thanks Bob. I'll have to check it out. Have you had a chance to try it?

Bertrand said the '05 was a hyper vintage - I certainly preferred the '04 Gewurz.

I see from their website that Wine Cellar is doing a Two Hands tasting next month, as well as a Leclerc vertical in February. Hmmm. . . .

Good tip, Bob. I picked up a few today - $15.95 Cdn per bottle.