I admit to being a bit of a history geek, but don’t usually advertise that I am a war/battle site geek too. Locales of devastation and fighting have somehow gotten worked in to most of the vacations I’ve taken in my adult life. I also like wine, and since Alsace tempts two of my interests, it was the perfect place to spend a few days of my trip to France last November. A region torn between frequent sparring partners France and Germany, and influenced in language and culture by both, Alsace holds a special, if not especially appreciated, place in the world of French wine.
Situated along the Rhine River, which forms its eastern boundary, Alsace has been taken and re-taken by the armies of its neighbors since the 9th century; this has impacted its wine noticeably in the modern era. As a region of France, Alsace was “northerly,” and produced wines of high acidity and low sugar, the better to blend with grapes from warmer southern regions that could get higher sugar levels. As a region of Germany, Alsace was “southerly” and expected to produce wines higher in sugar to blend with the more acidic grapes grown in the north. Because of this back-and-forth of history and war, Alsace wasn’t able to establish its own true style until much later than the rest of both France and Germany. Though farmers by tradition, the grape growers of Alsace often had to turn to other trades and livelihoods to survive during tough times. Vineyards, not a priority, were not kept up, which has been another factor in the inconsistency of Alsacian wine.
All is not bleak, though, as in recent decades more attention (and money) has been paid to vineyards and winemaking practices. The region gained AOC status in 1967 and is unique in that varietal names are on the labels, making the wines that much more accessible to Americans. Not only are the wines themselves inviting, but the region welcomes visitors with open arms and amazing food (if you like pork!). In the small villages lining the wine route, it’s perfectly normal to knock on winemakers’ doors; you’ll be invited right in to taste the domaine’s renditions of Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, or Muscat! These drop-in producers might not be the pinnacle of quality, but chatting in broken French/English in someone’s kitchen is always a good way to get to know an area.
I had both the formal tasting appointment and drop-in experiences during my time in Alsace. For a fun bottle to drink with lunch, I stuck to unknown names and labels, exploring whatever was on the restaurant menu. For the purpose of buying higher quality bottles to bring home, the top producers didn’t fail to impress. My favorite producers were ones with whom we had scheduled appointments: Hugel & Fils, Marcel Diess, and Ernest Burn. For lower priced but very tasty wines, I picked up a Riesling from Bott Freres and a Pinot Gris from Kuehn. Whether dry or sweet, Alsacian wines offer an easy-to-understand, deliciously refreshing alternative to more standard summer whites.
Click here to see Vinfolio's current wine selections from Alsace.
