Wine on the Radio - February 9, 2005

Alsace Region                                   Recommendations

One of the amazing things about wine is how it takes on the character of the place it's from.   That' sure the case with the wines of Alsace.  

The region is French and the wines are dry but they're more German in terms of grape variety.   Alsace is tucked into the northeast corner of France on the German border.   And like Germany, white wines are the signature.  

Alsatian Rieslings are crisp and dry while the Gewürztraminers are the epitome.   They've got exotic floral aromas with a spicy peach taste.   And, wow, do they go with food. especially tangy Asian cuisine or the more traditional German style foods like smoked pork or even sausages.  

And don't miss the Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc either.  

Typically Alsatian wines aren't oak aged, but bottled and released ready for us to Pop the cork and enjoy.   And with the grape name on the label and those tall slender bottles they're easy to pick out.  

The wines of Alsace . . . German names with a French heart.  

Pop the cork™.             Listen to the show

Alsace Selections - Our Picks and Recommendations . . . All Prices Approximate

Trimbach 2001 Gewurztraminer $16
Alsace, France
Winemaker's Notes
This Gewürztraminer has a gold color with a perfumed nose of lychee fruits and spices

Dom. Schlumberger 1999 Prince Abbes Riesling $17
Alsace, France
Winemaker's Notes
Reveals the elegance of the variety - fruity, dry and virile

Trimbach 2001 Riesling $18
Alsace, France
Winemaker's Notes
This wine is pale golden in color with a greenish tinge. On the nose it has developed aromas of minerals, with a slight petrol note. On the palate it is full, again slightly mineral, with grapefruit and lemon-like fruit

2001 Albert Mann Riesling "Schlossberg" Alsace $25    Riesling
WA 91 points, This wine explodes on the palate with layer after layer of pear, apple, spice, mineral, and verbena, whose flavors linger

2000 Marcel Deiss Gewurztraminer Bergheim Alsace $32    Gewurztraminer
WA 92 points, Nose of apricots, white peaches, smoke, and stones

2000 Willm Pinot Blanc Alsace $9    Pinot Blanc

This latest release from Willm is ripe and round with peach, nectarine and a hint of banana

2001 Zind-Humbrecht Gewurztraminer Herrenweg de Turckheim Alsace

$30    Gewurztraminer
WS 92 points, This is intense. Dry, full and brawny, with grapefruit and grapefruit peel, litchi and white pepper flavors