Top 100 wines of Alsace - Page 3
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: Auxerrois
Auxerrois is a white grape variety native to Lorraine, which is also found in Alsace and in the Loire Valley, where it took off in 1950. Its name comes from the nurseries in Auxerre where it found refuge during the Second World War. Often called Pinot Auxerrois, it is part of the Moselle, Alsace and Côtes-de-Toul AOC grape varieties. Auxerrois should not be confused with côt or malbec, which are red grape varieties from the Cahors region and which may bear the same name. The bunches of Auxerrois are of medium size with small berries. It is a semi-late grape variety whose buds only come out when temperatures are well above 10°C. Auxerrois wines are characterized by finesse and acidity and subtle aromas of exotic fruits, fruits and white flowers. In France, it represents 1,600 hectares of production and some small parcels of Auxerrois are also present in Luxembourg, Germany, Canada and South Africa (2,300 hectares in total).
Food and wine pairing with a wine of Alsace
wines from the region of Alsace go well with generally quite well with dishes of shellfish, poultry or appetizers and snacks such as recipes of mouclade, turkey cutlets with feta and cherry tomatoes or fake foie gras.
Organoleptic analysis of wine of Alsace
On the nose in the region of Alsace often reveals types of flavors of apples, cranberry or cantaloupe and sometimes also flavors of quince, honeysuckle or ginger. In the mouth in the region of Alsace is a powerful with a nice freshness.
News from the vineyard of Alsace
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 ...
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 ...
Decanter magazine latest issue: July 2022
Inside the Decanter magazine July 2022 issue: FEATURES Fuller-bodied rosés: proud to be pink, Elizabeth Gabay MW Can rosé wines really age?, Elizabeth Gabay MW 10 reasons to drink English sparkling wine, Susy Atkins Decanter guide to picnicking for wine lovers, Chris Losh Piedmont Nebbiolo guide: the latest releases, Aldo Fiordelli Winemaker profile: Sam Kaplan, Jonathan Cristaldi in Napa Valley LEARNING Wine wisdom: Expert tips to help you on your journey through wine Read the new issue in full ...