What I Learned

Northern Alsace has a great viticultural and vinicultural tradition. Six main white varietals grow throughout Alsace: Riesling, Silvaner, Gewuerztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and the only red varietal: Pinot Noir.

While the reds might be less common, and lighter-bodied than Pinot Noir wines from other French appellations, the whites are often full-bodied expressions of the grape and terroir. Alsatian wine is quite good, and demand for it is rising.

In the Bas Rhin, there are several Grand Cru. The following listing is of Grands Crus in the Bas Rhin Department from north to south. I include it for ease of reference when visiting the area. The Steinklotz of Marlenheim, Dahlenheim’s Engelberg, the Altenbergs of Wolxheim and Bergbieten, and Molsheim’s Bruderthal are the northern-most Grands Crus in Alsace. There are fewer Grand Cru in the middle of the Route de Vin in the Bas Rhin. Neither Rosheim nor Rosenwiller have one, although they have some well-sited vineyards, favored with good slope and exposure. The middle of the department does have the Grand Cru Kirchberg de Barr and the Zotzenberg of Mittelbergheim, which produces Silvaner Grand Cru wine, unusual in Alsace. In contrast, the Kastelberg, Wiebelsberg and Moenchberg Grands Crus of Andlau (further south) are all Rieslings, like the Muenchberg of Nothalten and the Winzenberg of Blienschwiller. The Frankstein of Dambach la Ville, and the Praelatenberg of Orschwiller/Kintzheim are the southern-most Grands Crus in the Bas Rhin Department.

 

What I Tasted

2017 Pinot Gris, Appellation Alsace Controlee, Charles Maetz (Rosheim): A dry white wine with medium gold color; a slight fruity nose, with citrus and slight spice flavors; Medium plus acidity.

2016 Pinot Gris, Cuvee St Charles, Appellation Alsace Controlee, Charles Maetz (Rosheim): A dry white wine with medium plus gold color; spice and floral notes on the nose, with toasted nuts and candied ripe stone and tropical fruits flavors; medium acidity.

2014 Riesling, Westerberg, Appellation Alsace Protegee, Kumpf & Meyer (Rosheim): A dry white wine with medium plus gold color; Nose of bruised apples, and bruised apple, spice and toasted nuts flavors; medium plus acidity (and contained no sulfites)

2009 Cremant d’Alsace, Brut, Domaine Bliemerose (Rosheim) : A dry white sparkling wine cuvee (Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Riesling) with fine lively perlage, and pale white-gold color; fruity and toasted brioche nose, with toasted nuts, and fruity flavors, with an infinitesimal hint of turpentine; Medium plus acidity; A unique, (and presumably rare in 2019), sparkling wine.