This wine is a perfect example of what is best about Alsace: it produces wines that can’t come from anywhere else in the world.
At one and the same time, the particular combination of Alsace soils, climates and styles creates versions of varieties that are quintessentially, undeniably Alsace, yet still allows generous room within that category to encourage individuality and personalization of the winemaker.
Domaine Paul Blanck Pinot Gris 2007 is about as far away from the floods of insipid and unstructured and bland Pinot Gris from around the world as one could imagine…so far away, in fact, it seems to be either from a different vinous universe or from another physical plane entirely.
Exaggeration? Well, maybe so... But taste this Pinot Gris and you can’t possibly confuse it with, say, any of the Italian Pinot Grigios that infest the lower shelves of supermarkets or the pretty but essentially bland floral/fruit arrangements that characterize the California versions.
Paul Blanck Pinot Gris 2007 is a generously endowed---perhaps, just perhaps, a bit too zaftig to the unsuspecting?---wine carried on a big acidic frame. It is plush, viscous, rich, and fat; what the French refer to as “gras”, as in foie gras.
It is also noticeably sweet. Not outrageously sweet, mind you, and not too much for the capacious frame of the wine, but still sweet on the scale of “medium-dry” sweet. That is the Alsatian idea of "letting the wine express itself for that year."
And it has body sufficient to make it seem chewy, along with glycerin enough to coat the mouth before the acidity cleans up after it to leave a fresh, floral/fruit finish. There is even the suggestion of a mushroomy, umami-ish earthiness way down deep in this wine.
The Blanck Pinot Gris also practically exudes apricot aromas and flavors, balanced out with an impressive amount of bright, citrusy acidity. To wildly mix some metaphors, it’s a fruit bomb with good bone structure. You won’t mistake it for some silly, simpering little Pinot Gris from a warmer place or a producer with volumetric ambition.
Such a big, generous and assertive wine conjures up some thoughts of food pairing almost immediately. A Chinese salad comes to mind quickly, as does a tangy teriyaki noodle dish with some charred meat on top. Or you could easily default to the Alsace French/German version of pizza, flat bread lavished with caramelized onions and funky cheeses. Be a little daring and throw some apple, or better yet, pear slices on top before you bake, top with a few toasty hazelnuts, and you’ll have an altogether bi-partisan meal where everything is working together amazingly well to supply you with endless enjoyment.
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