Alsace Riesling by Michael Franz
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Vins & Vignobles Alsace Riesling by MICHAEL FRANZ • The village of Niedermorschwihr; in Alsace, the best is very rarely made with any overt wood vineyard plots notes. Thankfully, the big bruiser fad are reserved for Riesling. seems to have peaked, and I see indications of a consumer backlash in the rise of light, fresh Pinot Grigio and explicitly “unoaked” Chardonnay. Riesling is well positioned to catch this wave and regain its proper place, which in my opinion is at the very top of the white-wine pyramid. I say this because no other grape varietal is so versatile, ages so well or is as capable of conveying the particular character of its place of origin. Riesling can excel as a bone-dry wine, an unctuous dessert wine and at every level of sweetness in between. Excellent examples are remarkably durable, improving for decades when properly cellared. And no other variety—white or red—can match Riesling’s ability to convey the subtle nuances of soil and climate that give great wines a sense of place. I would not relish the prospect of being limited to a single geographic source for my whenever you have the good Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris/Grigio. Riesling, but if forced to choose, I would fortune of discovering something that is This is not because of a decline in quality. pick Alsace. Top Rieslings from this region unusually rare and wonderful—a novel, I’m confident that most experts would agree are more complex and age better than their a work of art, a piece of music—it’s only that the Rieslings produced around the counterparts from Austria and Australia, natural to want to share it with friends, to world—in France, Australia, Austria and and whereas most German Rieslings need help them see in it what you do. When you Germany—during the past 20 years are the sweetness to counterbalance their abundant are especially passionate about its virtues, best ever made. The problem lies elsewhere; natural acidity, Alsace Rieslings can be it can become an obsession of sorts. That’s namely, in the fickle arena of fashion. harmonious even when made in a bone- how I feel about Alsace Riesling, which Trends in vinous fashion have been dry style. I think is the most lamentably under- running in a drier direction for decades, So if Alsace Rieslings are such great appreciated of France’s greatest wines. and Riesling, like Port, has suffered as a wines, why aren’t they better known? The This bothers me so much that I’ve been consequence. This is unfortunate in both main reason is that they are relatively rare. badgering friends about it for years. cases but especially unfair to Riesling, Alsace is the only place in France where They’ve always taken it graciously—it which often isn’t sweet at all and in fact wine laws permit planting Riesling, and probably helps that my diatribe comes is usually dry. German Rieslings are the within Alsace, it is only one of seven vine with a glass of delicious wine. exception, and even they have been getting varieties grown by winemakers (the others Fortunately for those of us who do drier during the past 15 years. Still, Riesling are Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Blanc, appreciate Alsace Rieslings, their lack of hasn’t been able to shed the stigma of its Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Sylvaner). popularity means they are tremendously reputed sweetness, which leads many con- A novice might mistake Riesling for just underpriced. During the late 19th and early sumers to the mistaken conclusion that it is another grape in this crowd, but almost 20th centuries, top Rieslings were prized— an old-fashioned dessert wine, ill-suited as every vintner I’ve interviewed regards it as and priced—as highly as the best bottlings an aperitif or as a partner to savory foods. Alsace’s most noble variety. Consequently, of Burgundy and Bordeaux. Today, Recent fashions in wine have also it is usually treated to prime sites within Riesling no longer plays in that prestigious favored big, oaky, alcoholic wines. This the region’s vineyards, and it manifests its league, and even among white wines, adds up to three strikes against Riesling, greatness differently depending on the soils ©SCOPE/J. GUILLARD; COURTESY OF BEYER sales consistently lag behind Chardonnay, which is almost always lean and light, and in which it is planted. It shows intensity 24 FRANCE • WINTER 2006-07 and firm structure in granite soils, and a an excellent generic Riesling; a Reserve softer, richer profile in clay. Sandy soils bottling made from young vines planted in the grapevine produce wines that are light but mineral Grand Cru vineyards; and Grand Cru wines and elegant, whereas alluvial soils lend from Brand and Sommerberg that are always THE FRENCH more body and lower acidity. Limestone among the best in Alsace. Tel. 33/3-89-27-11- PERSPECTIVE conjures Rieslings that are especially 32; Fax 33/3-89-27-70-14. The World’s restrained in their youth but supremely DIRLER-CadÉ (BERGHOLTZ) Greatest Wines intricate and nuanced when mature. Working 38 acres of vines using biodynamic by Michel Bet- Alsatian Rieslings can also show a techniques, this house produces an excellent tane and Thierry Dessauve has remarkable range of aromas and flavors, generic Riesling, a strongly mineral just hit U.S. with fruit notes ranging from apple and rendition from a lieu-dit called Belzbrunnen bookstores. citrus to stone fruits, along with accents of and several extraordinary cuvées from the The authors are the editors of La Revue flowers, flint, freshly cut grass, fennel and Grand Cru vineyards in Spiegel, Saering du Vin de France and are among France’s honey. Of course, there’s no substitute for and Kessler. These Rieslings are open most highly esteemed wine writers. This direct experience, so here are brief notes on and generously flavored but also seriously beautifully illustrated book makes their work my six favorite Riesling producers. Once structured and capable of long aging. Tel. accessible to English readers, offering over- views and indications of favorite wines from you’ve tried them, I know you’ll want to 33/3-89-76-91-00; Fax 33/3-89-76-85-97; top producers across the globe. With 365 tell your friends. E-mail: [email protected]. entries, this will provide a year of appetiz- LÉON BEYER (EGUISHEIM) F. E. TRIMBacH (RIbeAUVILLÉ) ing reading. Stewart, Tabori & Chang, $45. Marc Beyer is a 13th-generation proprietor Trimbach Rieslings are uncompromisingly stcbooks.com of this venerable family firm, and he makes dry. Although they can be bitingly acidic in exceedingly complex, impeccably dry their youth, they can also mature over decades Rieslings that are treasured by restaurateurs to develop remarkably complex floral, fruit around the world. All of his Rieslings are and mineral notes. The generic Riesling is lean and steely in their youth, adding depth very serious and consistent. Cuvée Frédéric- and dimension with each passing year. The Emile is deeper and more concentrated but generic Riesling is remarkably consistent. still quite taut. Clos Ste Hune is widely The top bottlings, Comtes d’Eguisheim regarded as the world’s greatest dry Riesling, and Les Escaillers, are made only in great and the Clos Ste Hune Vendange Tardive vintages and can improve for two decades. couples greater richness with astonishing leonbeyer.com acidic balance. maison-trimbach.fr ALBERT BOXLER (NIEDERMORSCHWIHR) DOMAINE WEINBacH (KAYSERSbeRG) Boxler is a family firm that crafts some of Weinbach Rieslings have been models of Alsace’s most exciting wines from grapes purity and balance for decades, though BACK TO THE ’80s Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin has delved into its drawn entirely from its own 30 acres of recently the balance has shifted a bit toward cellars to release two treasures made from vineyards. All Boxler Rieslings are very the drier side of the spectrum under the great vintages in the 1980s. Rare Vintage intense in flavor and are structured with an talented guidance of winemaker Laurence Rosé 1985 ($90) and Rare Vintage 1988 abundance of racy acidity. The range includes Faller. Her Rieslings are all generously ($85) were crafted from more than 17 distinct flavored despite being only slightly sweet, sites in the best Grands and Premiers Crus with Cuvée Théo, Sainte Catherine and vineyards. Those lacking optimal storage Schlossberg achieving consistent excellence. conditions at home should consider this op- Schlossberg Cuvée Sainte Catherine is portunity to taste the extraordinary character of great Champagnes in their prime. often a striking wine showing an uncanny combination of restrained focus and HANDY REFERENCE profound depth. domaineweinbach.com The Wines of France: The Essential Guide for DOMAINE ZIND HUMBRECHT (WINTZenHEIM) Savvy Shoppers (2006) by Jacqueline Fried- This extraordinary producer makes as many rich is a readable, reliable handbook profiling as 10 different Rieslings plus additional top producers from winegrowing regions Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains across France. Friedrich, an American living Nobles cuvées. Fermentations are performed in France, has an engaging writing style and a very keen palate. Although the book does not naturally with wild yeasts, sometimes single out particular wines or vintages, it pur- concluding with quite notable sweetness in sues the solid strategy of directing readers to the finished wines. Top Bottlings: Brand, France’s best and most consistent estates. Clos Häuserer, Clos Windsbuhl, Rangen de Ten Speed Press, $20. tenspeed.com —MF • A range of Rieslings by the venerable winemaker Thann Clos Saint Urbain. Tel. 33/3-89-27- Léon Beyer in Eguisheim. 02-05; Fax 33/3-89-27-22-58. FRANCE • WINTER 2006-07 25.