Category Archives: France – Alsace

Gustave Lorentz, Crémant d’Alsace (France) Brut NV

($30, Quintessential Wines):  Founded in 1836, Gustave Lorentz’s roots go back to the mid 17th century when the family was involved in barrel making and brokering wine.  Today, they are recognized as one of Alsace’s top producers.  Their Riesling from the Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim vineyard — they own a third of the vineyard — is always a sensational wine. Read more

Gustave Lorentz, Crémant d’Alsace (France) Brut NV

($30, Quintessential Wines):  Founded in 1836, Gustave Lorentz’s roots go back to the mid 17th century when the family was involved in barrel making and brokering wine.  Today, they are recognized as one of Alsace’s top producers.  Their Riesling from the Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim vineyard — they own a third of the vineyard — is always a sensational wine. Read more

Gustave Lorentz, Alsace (France) Pinot Noir “Le Rosé” 2017

($18, Quintessential):  Although most people, with good reason, associated Alsace with white wines, such as Riesling, Gewurztraminer, or Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir actually accounts for roughly 10 percent of plantings in that region.  This rosé of Pinot Noir comes from grapes planted at the foot and just outside of the Grand Cru vineyard, Altenberg de Bergheim. Read more

Pierre Sparr, Crémant d’Alsace (Alsace, France) Brut Rosé NV

($19, Wilson Daniels): Crémant d’Alsace Rosé must be made entirely from Pinot Noir, which helps explains why they, as a category, are very good.  That Pierre Sparr, a top Alsace producer, made this one explains why it’s easy to recommend. Crémant (literally meaning, “creamy”), from Alsace or elsewhere, has about two-thirds the fizz as Champagne, which means they have a rounder texture. Read more

Gustave Lorentz, Crémant d’Alsace (Alsace, France) NV

($22, Quintessential Wines):  Crémant d’Alsace, especially from a top producer like Lorentz, is a under-appreciated category.  Less “serious” than Champagne, this is a creamy, soothing bubbly that is perfect for summer sipping.  Dry and invigorating, without being astringent or aggressive, it works equally well with grilled fish or other main courses as it does as an aperitif.… Read more

Willm, Alsace (France) Riesling Grand Cru Kirchberg de Barr 2009

($20, Touton):  What a buy!  With a whiff of cherries–I can see why the vineyard’s called Kirchberg–and bracing minerality, this is truly grand cru Riesling.  Long and precise, it awakens the palate without assaulting it.  A glass on a hot summer’s day is refreshingly clean and bright, but a couple of glasses with grilled swordfish and a caper butter sauce is even better.… Read more

Gustave Lorentz, Crémant d’Alsace (Alsace, France) Brut Rosé NV

($25, Quintessential):  Sadly, the wine drinking public often overlooks Crémant d’Alsace.  By definition, a Crémant–be it from Alsace or Burgundy–is a sparkling wine that has fewer bubbles than Champagne.  As such, Crémants are, as the name implies, creamier.  Lorentz, one of the top Alsace producers, uses Pinot Noir exclusively for this Crémant Rosé.… Read more

Trimbach, Alsace (France) Riesling “Cuvée R” 2008

($18, Diageo Chateau & Estates):  Trimbach is one of the greatest producers in Alsace.  Their range of Riesling–from their basic one that’s a blend from many vineyards to their sensational single vineyard Clos Ste Hune–is superb.  The Cuvee R represents the best batches from their basic bottling and lies between it and their one labeled Frederic Emile, which comes their grand cru vineyards adjacent to the winery. … Read more

Lucien Albrecht, Cremant d’Alsace (Alsace, France) Brut Rosé NV

($18, Pasternak Wine Imports):  Crémant d’Alsace, which is made by the traditional (Champagne) method from any of the Alsace grapes except Gewurztraminer and Chasselas, is an under-appreciated category of sparkling wine.  As a category they are lighter and less complex than Champagne, but when talented producers, such as Albrecht, make them, they deliver considerable pleasure. … Read more

Trimbach, Alsace (France) Riesling ‘Cuvee Frederic Emile’ 2002

($60, Diageo Chateau & Estates):  Trimbach, like other leading Alsace producers, Hugel and Beyer, eschews the Alsace Grand Cru classification system of vineyards, insisting that when the boundaries were drawn they included inferior sites.  Hence, even though the grapes for this wine come exclusively from the core of the Grand Cru sites of Geisberg and Osterberg, on the steep slope directly behind their winery, Grand Cru does not appear on the label. … Read more

Trimbach, Alsace (France) Riesling Clos Ste Hune 2001

($150, Diageo Chateau & Estates):  The Clos Sainte Hune is a small parcel within the Grand Cru Rosacker vineyard in the village of Hunawihr that has been owned exclusively by the Trimbach family for more than 200 years.  In the Trimbach tradition, the label will never carry its Grand Cru designation despite the grandeur of the wine, which many authorities believe is Alsace’s finest. … Read more