Alsace eaux de vie?

Hello All,

I'm heading to Alsace for a few days this spring, and would like to find some nice examples of eaux-de-vie while I'm there. We'll be based in Colmar but will have a car and plan to visit at least one producer along the Route de Vins.

Hoke, am I correctly remembering you once poured an eau-de-vie from alisier, which apparently is known in the UK as serviceberry? I wrote down the address somewhere but can't find it. I can still smell the floral aromas. They were haunting.

Walt

Two musts: Miclo in Lapoutroie, try the pear versions, the forest raspberry and the Whitebeam (alisier), plus all the others! Metté in Ribeauvillé, try the English Holly (Baie de Houx) and the spruce shoots! The vintage dated Marcs are not bad either, my favorite remains the 1990 Gewurztraminer Sélection des Grains Nobles!

Greetings from Sweden / Fredrik L

Walt:

Good memory, dude! Yeah, that was from a tiny little producer of wine and eau-de-vie located right in Colmar, Maison Jund. They have a tiny shop just off the main promenade of Colmar. Grand old house from the 1600s (they rent out rooms, and we stayed in their capacious attic overlooking the be-storked roofs of Colmar) with the tasting room run by Madame.

Make sure while you are in Colmar you visit the Museum there---in an old convent or monastery right in town; great place, very interesting; they have the famous triptych altar piece on display that is a must see.

Fredrik gives you good advice. Miclo and Mette are both supergood and well worth a visit.

Fredrik, I have never heard of a vintage marc before, let alone one from SGN. That sounds spectacular. Thanks.

Hoke, I'm glad you have a better memory than me. Domaine Martin Jund, 12, rue de l'Ange in Colmar, that is less than half a km from our apartment! I am in your debt. (Again.)

The Musee Unterlinden is also on our list.

[David M. Bueker]

Another vote for Miclo.

Whatever you do, stay away from Alsatian marc. I had a glass of Alsatian marc de gewurztraminer once, and had the worst hangover headache ever the day after. But if you need to remove the varnish from a table, it might be just the thing to use.

-Paul W.

Whatever you do, stay away from Alsatian marc. I had a glass of Alsatian marc de gewurztraminer once, and had the worst hangover headache ever the day after. But if you need to remove the varnish from a table, it might be just the thing to use.

-Paul W.

Me too plus other side effects. At one small restaurant in Turckheim, after a glass, I saw 3 bulldogs at the entrance not 1.

Whatever you do, stay away from Alsatian marc. I had a glass of Alsatian marc de gewurztraminer once, and had the worst hangover headache ever the day after. But if you need to remove the varnish from a table, it might be just the thing to use.

-Paul W.

Funny you should mention that, Paul. With virtually all grappas and marcs, I drink essentially none of the
liquid. I always wonder why some places pour two full ounces. I think of them as mildly edible perfumes.

[...] that was from a tiny little producer of wine and eau-de-vie located right in Colmar, Maison Jund.

It is with sadness that I report that Martin Jund no longer makes eaux-de-vies. The mantle has passed to the son and his sister, who nonetheless warmly welcomed me even though I was on a quest for a product that doesn't exist. I guess the scent memory will have to remain a memory...

The sliver lining is that the son is making Alsacian wines of considerable finesse and purity. They have some of their own vineyards, which are organically farmed, as well as a selection of other excellent sites, including Brand and Schlossberg. I particularly enjoyed a 2009 pinot gris from Hinterburg, which showed more texture, minerality and aroma than a hundred insipid pinot grigios. The new Jund made up the bulk of my purchases on this trip.

Walt

Thanks for the report, Walt!

The son and daughter are running the place now, eh? That would be the same young son who hoisted our luggage up three flights to our "room"---which was the entire top floor of a house built in the 1600s, as I recall.

Good to hear the family tradition is continuing and the wines are topnotch. Sad to hear that the eau-de-vie is not being made. I have approximately 1 1/2 ounces of my last 375ml bottle of the Jund Alisier---and you have no idea what force of will I've had to exert to retain that much for that long, eking it out preciously; occasionally I taunt myself by pulling the cork just so I can refresh my sensory memory---and I guess I'll have to wait for the opportune moment to reverently consume the last of what will be no more.

Alisier is still being made. Thor brought me a bottle once from one of the big boy producers, which I foolishly shared out with a bunch of wine and spirit geeks at a convention, to great acclaim. Oh well, at least I was briefly popular.