Alsatian Wine Tasting & Dinner

Inspired by, and on the heels of, my recent trip to Alsace this past spring in May (see my previous post), I led a wine tasting with friends the other weekend that featured wines from Alsace, including a few I had brought back from France.  As most of these wines are white and light in alcohol, they fit in perfectly with a warm summer evening by the shore accompanied by an array of hors d'oeuvres, spicy shrimp or other shellfish, asparagus, flatbread, salad, cheeses, and that most Alsatian of all dishes - Choucroute Garnie.  Now if you do a search online for this sauerkraut specialty, you'll find all sorts of recipes that call for hours of marinating, roasting, cooking and deconstructing all kinds of wurst, hamhocks, baby back ribs, boiled ham, kielbasa, bacon etc., but it's easy enough to do a simplified version with just some pre-cooked bratwurst and bacon, along with the sauerkraut.                                  
Here's the recipe that I simplified for my own concoction: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/choucroute-garnie-102386 

There is even a seafood version which I enjoyed in Strasbourg (again see my previous post).  It may sound like a heavy dish for summertime, but the choucroute, enhanced by an ample dose of Pinot Blanc or Riesling and allowed to simmer with the meat), makes a very tasty and digestible dish.

Unfortunately,, the choucroute is missing from this picture, but you can find many online.

Now back to the wines: although all the wines were highly appreciated and enjoyed by the guests, the real standouts were the Sylvaner (not the easiest to find here in the States, but worth the trouble), the Pinot Blanc, which I used for the Choucroute, and the Pinot Noir, which may be the unsung find among Alsatian wines and the only red varietal grown in the region.

Although prices for Alsatian wines in the US are not quite the bargain they are in the land of origin, they still represent very good value and usually come in less than $20 a bottle.  All wines listed here, except for the Sylvaner and the Riesling, I purchased at the PA State Store or at WineWorks in NJ.

If you have not yet experienced the pleasure of Alsatian wines, you have much to look forward to and discover!  A votre santé!



Zeyssolff  Cuvée Z Sylvaner L’Oublié 2016


           

Classification: Appellation Alsace Contrôlée  (Gertwiller)

Varietal: 100% Sylvaner

Production/Tasting Notes:  35 year old vines from Gertwiller and Heilgestein vineyards, terroir especially favorable to Sylvaner; muted fruit flavors with a touch of smoke and earth scent; light to medium bodied

Sylvaner is a crossing of Traminer with a little-known variety called Osterreichisch Weiss. The crossing is thought to have occurred somewhere in eastern Austria, although today very little Silvaner is found anywhere in Austria. The variety made its way to Germany in the 17th Century, and from there to Alsace, where it became particularly popular after World War II. The variety has a couple of color mutations known as Roter Silvaner and Blauer Silvaner, although both are largely indistinguishable from Silvaner itself.
Food pairing: light appetizer and cold dishes; Alsatian onion tart; grilled asparagus with poached egg; seafood chowder
Alcohol: 12%


Domaines Schlumberger Pinot Blanc 2014


           

Classification: Appellation Alsace Contrôlée (Guebwillet)

Varietal: 100% Pinot Blanc

Production/Tasting Notes:  Pneumatic pressing, static racking. Fermentation in thermo-regulated tuns for one to four months. Maturing for seven months on fine lees.  The nose is frank, pleasant, open and racy; fruity scents: citrus fruit, lemon, floral scents, white flowers and a fine touch of spice, ginger. Opening up to reveal a fine, exotic character of pineapple and blood orange. Moderately rich, dense on the mouth. Long finish, 6-7 caudalies and a frank and persistent liveliness.

Food Pairings: Salad with langoustines; sushi; shrimp; sashimi

Alcohol: 12.5%


Willm Pinot Gris Reserve 2015

          

Classification: Appellation Alsace Contrôlée  (Eguisheim)

Varietal: 100% Pinot Gris

Production/Tasting Notes: Pale golden yellow; elegant nose, peach and apricots notes; candied fruit and honey; light, round, good structure, good persistence.

Food Pairings: fish with sauce; smoked salmon; duck magret

Alcohol: 13%


Domaine J.L. Schwartz Schieferberg Riesling 2014


          

Classification: Appellation Alsace Contrôlée  (Itterswiller)

Varietal: 100% Riesling

Production/Tasting Notes: Vivid, dry, racy, full-bodied but refined, delicately fruity, it offers a delicate bouquet with nuances sometimes mineral or floral and acquires in aging a "taste of petroleum" or "mineral fossil". (About 150 aromatic constituents are associated with it.)

Alcohol: 13%


Famille Hugel Gewurztraminer 2013

Please excuse the blurry image!

                




Classification: Appellation Alsace Contrôlée  (Riquewihr)

Varietal: 100% Gewurztraminer

Production/Tasting Notes: 2013 was a classic Alsace vintage of intense, pure, well balanced wines; The grapes are taken in small tubs to the presses, which are filled by gravity, without any pumping or other mechanical intervention.  After pressing, the must is decanted for a few hours, then fermented in temperature-controlled barrels or vats (at 18 to 24°C). The wine is racked just once, before natural clarification during the course of the winter. The following spring, the wine is lightly filtered just before bottling, and the bottles are then aged in our cellars until released for sale.

“The bouquet is frank and open, refined, elegant, perfectly aromatic and perfumed yet not exuberant.  All in all, this wine is bewitchingly expressive, yet still full of freshness.
Fresh pineapple, mango, passion fruit, white peach, ginger, rose, jasmine, mignonette, lily...

On the palate it is dry, slightly taut, juicily crunchy, soft, supple and nicely balanced. Its finish explodes with fruit and perfume, yet is not heavy... and it is perfectly capable of charming you into a second glass...” - Serge Dubs, World's Best Sommelier 1989

Food Pairings: an aperitif, with slightly spicy cuisine, Chinese, Moroccan or Indonesian, with lobster and crayfish tails, or with strong cheeses : munster, maroilles; smoked salmon and strong cheeses; white meat, veal, pork and game birds, pheasant, partridge.

Alcohol: 13%


Trimbach Pinot Noir Reserve 2013




Classification: Appellation Alsace Contrôlée  (Ribeauvillé)

Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir

Production/Tasting Notes: No barrel aging to preserve grapes’fruitiness ;  red fruit aromas and is supple, fruity and fresh on the palate;

Food Pairing: meats, smoked meats, pork, poultry, some cheeses

Alcohol: 12.5%


Notes on Wine Estates

The Willm Vineyard

The vineyard is in the Barr region in northern Alsace, shielded by the Vosges which protect it from most of the rain coming from the west and creating a very sunny micro-climate. Historical, The Barr vines are mentioned for the first time in an 8th century document from the Fulda Abbey in Germany.

The soils are for the most part granitic and clay-calcareous which confer freshness and finesse to the wines.

The vineyard practices integrated farming which means finding the perfect balance between the vines, the soils and the climate, respecting nature and the environment.

Famille Zeyssolff

Our presence in Alsace dates back to the 15th century. In 1574, two brothers ZEYSSOLFF, one lawyer and the other judge, received a family coat of arms for services rendered to the city of Strasbourg. In 1778, Jean-Daniel ZEYSSOLFF wine grower in Gertwiller founded the house ZEYSSOLFF. Since then, the tradition of vines and wines has been transmitted from father to son over ten generations. A consistency as remarkable as the quality of the wines of Alsace produced. A well-exposed estate spread over the terroirs of an interesting geological variety, allows to produce well-typed wines. The distinctions obtained regularly at different competitions testify to their value. All the grape varieties of Alsace are produced by the House ZEYSSOLFF and appreciated as much regionally as beyond its borders.

Domaines J.L. Schwartz

The estate, an independent winemaker created by Hélène and Justin in the 1960s, currently has 8.5 hectares of vines spread over 9 municipalities with a wide range of terroirs, making it possible to express the characteristics of the different Alsatian grape varieties entirely harvested by hand.

Famille Hugel

The first traces of the Hugel family in Alsace can be traced back to the XVth century.
Some two centuries later, Hans Ulrich Hugel settled in Riquewihr, which had been devastated by the terrible Thirty Years War. In 1639 he was made a freeman of the city and soon took charge of the very powerful Corporation of Winegrowers.  In 1672 his son built a fine house in the Rue des Cordiers, and over the doorway was carved the family crest which was the origin of the company’s logo still used today.
During the XVIIIth and XIXth centuries, the Hugel family gained an enviable reputation for their winegrowing skills and for the meticulous way in which they cultivated their vineyards.
 In 1902, Frédéric Emile Hugel left the old family property and established himself in premises in the centre of Riquewihr which still form the heart of the family business.
Alsace white wine among the finest in the world
Vines have been cultivated in Alsace for more than 2,000 years, and brought great prosperity to the region, particularly in the Middle Ages. Thanks to the nearby river Rhine, at that time the most important artery of communications in Europe, the wines of Alsace were exported to Holland, Belgium, Scandinavia and to England, where they were particularly appreciated.
Until the early XVIIth century, Alsace was the largest and most renowned wine producing region in the Germanic Holy Roman Empire. The Thirty Years War (1618 - 1648), the French Revolution (1789), the Napoleonic Wars and the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 caused the steady decline of the Alsace wine region. By the early XXth century, the ravages caused by insect pests and by cryptogamic diseases made the situation desperate.
After 1918, a handful of farsighted and courageous winegrowers, including Frédéric Emile Hugel, took steps to save the vineyards of Alsace. This veritable pioneer devoted his entire life to the promotion of high-quality wines from noble grape varieties. His son Jean continued this crusade. By his perseverance and hard work he proved that Alsace wines merited a place among the finest wines in the world.  His three sons, Georges, Jean and André, have strictly followed this same course, and they have obtained official recognition for Alsace late-harvest "Vendange Tardive" and "Sélection de Grains Nobles" wines.
The next generation is faithfully implementing the major principles it has inherited from its ancestors. A noble mission awaits Jean-Philippe, Marc and Etienne : to make Alsace wine the great white wine of the XXIst century.

Trimbach

The viticultural origin of the Trimbach Family dates back to 1626, when Jean Trimbach, who had come from Sainte Marie aux Mines, was recognised as a citizen of Riquewihr. From then on, the Trimbachs became renowned for their wine-growing.
Jean-Jacques Trimbach, born in Riquewihr on the 6th February 1633, and later his son Jean, born on the 18th March 1677, were successively mayor of the little village.
The next Jean-Jacques Trimbach, born in 1750, decided to become a master cooper – an activity which fitted in admirably with the viticultural vocation of the Family.
The Family tree continues with Jean-Louis Trimbach, born on the 12th of May 1783, whose son Jean-Frédéric, born on the 18th of June 1811 took an important position in what used to be called the wine « gourmetage » in the village of Hunawihr, well known for its excellent wines and especially for its Riesling. The transfer of his activities to Hunawihr dates back to the 1840′s. He was the mayor of the village for many years.
His oldest son, Frédéric Emile, born in Riquewihr on the 20th of December 1839, stepped into his shoes in Hunawihr. Frédéric Emile really developped the business on the lines of the present House of Trimbach. He gave the firm his two initials « F.E » which have been kept ever since.
Trimbach wine acquired true international acclaim in 1898 when Frédéric Emile Trimbach received the highest distinction at the International Wine Fair in Brussels.
To extend the business his son Frédéric Théodore, born in Hunawihr on the 5th of November 1875, transferred the Trimbach firm to the medieval town of Ribeauvillé soon after World War I. He was one of the founders of the wine-growers and merchants’ Association and one of the first promotors of Alsatian wine.
For almost four centuries, the Trimbach Family has been promoting Alsace and its History, its exceptional terroirs and fine wines. Maison Trimbach is still located in Ribeauvillé and still owned by the two grandsons of Frédéric Théodore, Bernard and Hubert, since their father’s untimely death in 1945.
Pierre and Jean, Bernard’s sons, the 12th generation, have joined the Firm in 1979 for Pierre and 1985 for Jean to work on the vinification for the first one and on the promotion of the wines for the second one.

Wining (and Dining) in Alsace, France

Travel affords the opportunity to delight in new experiences, cultures, languages and people, and, for oenophiles like me, there is the exciting prospect of discovering new wines that just aren't available in the usual circle of shops, restaurants and wine bars at home.  My recent travels to England, France and the Netherlands offered just that chance, and in particular, the region of Alsace where I booked a guided tour of some of the distinctive Maisons de Vin which typically specialize in Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner (for whites) and Pinot Noir (the only red varietal grown in the region).  In addition to these still table wines, quite a few Crémants d'Alsace are also produced here, and often include Chardonnay.  These sparkling wines offer a very worthy and much less expensive alternative to the highly touted Champagnes produced just  west of Alsace.  (Note to the savvy wine shopper: always check out the availability of Crémants before spending big bucks on the popular, but very expensive big name Champagnes - you know the ones we're talking about!)

But before we delve into the sparking wines, let's start at the beginning of our tour of  the Alsatian wine region which lies about an hour's drive to the southwest of Strasbourg, official seat of the European Parliament, near the Franco-German border.  Our first stop was at the Maison Zeyssolff http://zeyssolff.com/ in the village of Gertwiller.  (It seems that every little town or village in the Alsatian wine region comes straight of a fairy tale book - utterly charming, picturesque and impeccably maintained - the area yo-yoed back and forth under control of France and Germany over the centuries.  And they all have strange-sounding, virtually unpronounceable Germanic names which are oddly distinctive and unlike typical village names in Germany.  Native Alsatians have managed to wrap their tongues around these tongue-twisters, but I suspect the average French person would recoil at such an linguistic challenge.)

Zeyssolff produces several different series of wines, incorporating most of the usual varietals mentioned above.  In addition, there is a special cuvée called Klevener de Heiligenstein which obtained a unique denomination in 1997 and is made from the rare Savagnin rose (or Traminer) varietal.  Of golden hue, offering nuances of white flowers and white stone fruit, round on the palate with a pleasant acidity, it pairs well with white meats, terrines, tartes flambées and fish with cream sauce.










                               



The Cuvée Z series includes Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc and Sylvaner:

               


            


           

The next stop on our tour was at Domaine J.L.Schwartz  http://www.domaine-schwartz.com/ in the charming, picturesque village of Itterswiller.  Our tasting guide was the owner himself who started the business about 30 years. Beyond accommodating, he was downright solicitous in offering us a sample of pretty much every different wine he had available.  Never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I did not hesitate to take advantage of the opportunity and so we proceeded to taste a whole panoply of wines - from sparkling rosés and bruts  (crémants) to Pinot Gris and Pinot Blancs; from Sylvaners to Grand Cru Rieslings to Vendanges Tardives (sweet dessert wines).







What follows then is a visual sampling of some of fine wines that Monsieur Schwartz graciously shared with us:

                                            


                                           

                                              

                                           

                                             



                                                  



                                                   
                                                 
                                            



Monsieur Schwartz's hospitality was well-rewarded as almost everyone in the group left with at least a few bottles to take back home.  Need I add that the prices of the wine are such a ridiculous bargain, that you'll find it hard not to stuff you bags full or bring along an extra suitcase to lug them back home!

Back on the road, we headed toward Ribeauvillé  (one of the few villages in the area with a French name) for lunch and another wine tour!  White asparagus  ("asperges" in French) were in season and lavishly spread on just about every dish on the menu. "Tarte flambée" or "Flammenkuche" is a regional speciality and pretty much de rigueur at mealtime.  Check this website for much more information on the region, its wine, cuisine and points of interest: http://www.ribeauville-riquewihr.com/en/discover/ribeauville.htm

Near the entrance to the main thoroughfare in Ribeauvillé is the Louis Sipp winery, where we were greeted by Madame Sipp who first led us into the caves to explain to us the vinification process. Afterwards we followed her to a private tasting room where she proceeded to give us an expert presentation (in fluent English, by the way) on a half-dozen or more her cuvées. http://sipp.com/

                                           







And now here are some of the wines we tasted at Louis Sipp:




















Last but not least on our tour of the Alsace wine region was perhaps the most famous of the myriad quaint villages - Riquewihr. And judging by the crowds on that absolutely perfect sunny and warm spring day, the word is out. It did happen to be a holiday weekend, and the German visitors from the other side of the Rhine were out in force.  No doubt they feel very much at home - with just a touch of French culture to add to the experience - what with the Germanic village names, the wood framed architecture and the similarity in cuisine.  Indeed, our last winery stop was at the Teutonically christened Dopff winery  http://www.dopff-au-moulin.fr/index.php where we indulged in their array of sparkling wines or  Crémants.  Truth be told, most of the group was well-sated with wine by this time, but I did my level best to at least take a sip of the many offerings.  But first, let's have a look at the village itself:
















And now onto the wines. Dopff offers quite a selection of sparkling wines, in addition to their still table wines.  Indeed, it was a Dopff family member who, after spending several years in the Champagne region, pioneered the production of sparkling wines in the Alsace in the early 20th century, which are known today by the name "Crémants d'Alsace".

        











Thus ends our winery tour of the Alsace, but you can be sure that we only touched the surface of what there is to explore.  Indeed, there are upwards of 200 wineries in the Alsace region so you have plenty to choose from if you ever make the trip which I highly recommend.  And one more note of encouragement, the wines are an amazing bargain, prices hovering around 10 Euros more or less. (The US dollar is close to parity with the Euro.)

I leave you with a picture of one of the great traditional Alsatian restaurants in Strasbourg, Zuem Strissel, http://www.strissel.fr/  where I dined on their specialty: Choucroute de la  Mer  (Seafood with Sauerkraut) washed down with a pichet of the house Pinot Blanc!