Beyond terroir – exploring the influences on Alsace wines
Today the Circle of Wine Writers held an excellent Alsace tasting in central London at the Naval Club with a fascinating presentation by Olivier Humbrecht MW (Domaine Zind Humbrecht, president of Alsace Grand Cru) and Christian Ehrhart (Josmeyer and vice-president of Alsace Grand Cru).
Flight 1
1. Emile Boeckel,
Alsace Grand Cru Zotzenberg, Sylvaner 2012
Residual Sugar 4.00 g/l, Tartaric
Acidity 6.95 g/l, 13.5° Alcohol, Marl-limestone, Conversion
2.
Muré - Domaine du Clos
Saint Landelin, Alsace Grand Cru Vorbourg, Riesling 2012
Residual Sugar 2.45 g/l, Tartaric
Acidity7.95 g/l, Alcohol 13.5°, Clay-limestone,
Biodynamic
3. Domaine
André Ostertag, Alsace Grand Cru Muenchberg, Riesling 2012
Residual Sugar 7.00 g/l,Tartaric Acidity
6.00 g/l, Alcohol 13.5°,
Sandstone-volcanic, Biodynamic
Flight 2
4. Domaine
Paul Blanck, Alsace Grand Cru Schlossberg, Riesling 2010
Residual Sugar 20.00 g/l, Tartaric
Acidity 6.29 g/l, Alcohol 12.44°, Granite
5. Gustave
Lorentz, Alsace Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim, Riesling 2008
Residual Sugar 7.60 g/l, Tartaric
Acidity 7.80 g/l, Alcohol 12.5°, Clay-marly-sandstone
6. Domaine
Zind-Humbrecht, Alsace Grand Cru Goldert, Muscat 2012
Residual Sugar 6.5 g/l, Tartaric Acidity
5.10 g/l, Alcohol 14.00°, Olithic calcareous, Biodynamic
Flight 3
7. Josmeyer,
Alsace Grand Cru Brand, Pinot Gris 2010
Residual
Sugar 7.5 g/l, Tartaric Acidity 6.60 g/l, Alcohol 14.00°, Granite, Biodynamic
8.
Cave Vinicole de
Pfaffenheim, Alsace Grand Cur Steinert, Pinot Gris 2011
Residual Sugar 30.00 g/l, Tartaric
Acidity 5.5 g/l, Alcohol 13.6°, Limestone and clay-limestone
9. Domaine
Marcel Deiss, Alsace Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim, Complantation 2009
Residual Sugar 70.00 g/l, Tartaric
Acidity 4.99 g/l, Alcohol 12.00°, Marly-limestone-sandstone, Biodynamic
Flight 4
10. Domaine Weinbach, Alsace Grand Cru Furstentum,
Gewurtzraminer 2011
Residual Sugar 48.00 g/l, Tartaric
Acidity 4.77 g/l, Alcohol13.5°, Marly-limestone-sandstone, Biodynamic
11. Hugel & Fils, Alsace –
Vendange Tardive, Gewurztraminer 2007
Residual Sugar 96.00 g/l, Tartaric
Acidity 5.06 g/l, Alcohol 12.7°, Clay-marl
Olivier Humbrecht MW
(above and below)
Christophe Ehrhart
Angela Reddin, CWW tastings organiser
Brian St. Pierre
Natasha Hughes MW
– one of the newest MWs
As an MW you have to be serious...!
Richard James
Kathy Burk
John Downes MW and Charles Metcalfe
Charles Metcalfe
Christine Austin
Alison Mann
Andrea Warren pouring
Julian Jeffs: whose 6th edition of
his classic book on Sherry has just been published.
The 1st edition appeared in 1961
Carolyn Bosworth-Davies
Rounding up Alsace
