Top 100 wines of Alsace
Discover the top 100 best wines of Alsace as well as the best winemakers in the region. Explore the varietals of the wines that are popular of Alsace and the best vintages to taste in this region.
Discovering the wine region of Alsace
Alsace, located in the extreme north-east of France, is Distinguished from other French wine regions by its strong Franco-Germanic influences. These influences are the result of a back-and-forth between the German and French sovereignties over the last few centuries. They can be seen not only in the architecture and culture of Alsace, but also in the wines. Alsace wines are produced under three main appellations: Alsace and Alsace Grand Cru for still white wines (Sweet and Dry), and Crémant d'Alsace for Sparkling wines.
Almost all the wines produced in this region fall under one of these three appellations. Alsace Grand Cru wines are produced from one of the 51 privileged vineyards spread along the Length of the region. Alsace is the only French wine region to produce significant quantities of Riesling and Gewurztraminer. These two grape varieties are more commonly associated with German wines and are reminiscent of Alsace's history.
Discover the grape variety: Pinot noir
Pinot noir is an important red grape variety in Burgundy and Champagne, and its reputation is well known! Great wines such as the Domaine de la Romanée Conti elaborate their wines from this famous grape variety, and make it a great variety. When properly vinified, pinot noit produces red wines of great finesse, with a wide range of aromas depending on its advancement (fruit, undergrowth, leather). it is also the only red grape variety authorized in Alsace. Pinot Noir is not easily cultivated beyond our borders, although it has enjoyed some success in Oregon, the United States, Australia and New Zealand.
Food and wine pairing with a wine of Alsace
wines from the region of Alsace go well with generally quite well with dishes of pork, rich fish (salmon, tuna etc) or spicy food such as recipes of roast pork in the oven, cod brandade or mussels with curry.
Organoleptic analysis of wine of Alsace
On the nose in the region of Alsace often reveals types of flavors of grapefruit, lemon peel or jam and sometimes also flavors of acacia, banana or jasmine. In the mouth in the region of Alsace is a powerful with a nice freshness.
News from the vineyard of Alsace
Platinum: The 97 point wines of DWWA 2022
The largest-ever year for entries, an incredible 18,244 wines were judged at the 2022 Decanter World Wine Awards – with just 163 wines awarded a Platinum medal. ‘Winning a Platinum medal is something really exceptional’ said Decanter World Wine Awards Co-Chair Sarah Jane Evans MW. ‘Platinum is like the stratospheric level’ she commented, ‘so it’s really saying to the winemaker: this is a great wine.’ Making up just 0.87% of the total wines tasted at the 2022 c ...
Alsace Riesling must be ‘dry’, says wine body proposal
Starting with the 2021 vintage, non-late harvest Alsace Riesling must be ‘dry’, as defined by EU regulations, according to a proposed decree agreed by a two-thirds majority of the Alsace Winegrowers’ Association (AVA). Winemakers backed the plan at a vote in Colmar last week, although it requires approval from France’s appellation body, INAO. The move comes in addition to the introduction of a standardised way of communicating sweetness levels on Alsace AOC still wines. As per EU rul ...
Andrew Jefford: ‘A wine’s visual cues shout, stamp, whistle and roar’
Disconcerting: I couldn’t forget this bottle for days afterwards. Still can’t. Back in August, wine critic Lin Liu MW (together with her partner Philippe Lejeune of Château de Chambert in Cahors) came to dinner, en route to a short holiday in Provence. One of the bottles Lin brought for us to try together was the 2018 Les Rocheuses, Parcelles No 5 et 6, from Château Le Rey in Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux. It came in a slope-shouldered bottle, not a classic Bordeaux bottle. We tried it with some R ...