Not a ton of Pinot Blanc discussion here and I am certainly not doing my best to fight that. I suppose the confinement leads to some unusual decisions as today while preparing for a quiche lorraine lunch I remembered this bottle and the pairing seemed attractive. Quite different from your average Alsace Pinot Blanc, this one has a ton of character and concentration more akin to Alto Adige than Alsace. In fact sipping this makes me wonder what is really in the bottle in the Alsatian wines labeled Pinot Blanc, given that the legislation allows any of the Pinot grapes to be used. I would guess that this one either has a high percentage of the Pinot Blanc variety, maybe even 100%, but on the other hand it could also have some Pinot Gris in it given the power and volume. What I am fairly sure of is that this is no Auxerrois-dominated wine, even as it theoretically could be.
Kermit Lynch’s website states that the grapes for the Réserve bottling come from the Brand vineyard but does not mention anything about this one. I would not be surprised if they came from a warmer site as well given the power it possesses. Just based on the taste I would guess the ABV to be higher than the stated 13 % - there is nothing light about it. I am actually quite tempted to seek the Réserve bottling to see which way it goes from here. I don’t have the best of track records with Boxler’s wines as they are not the most approachable out there. This one is neither but it would be hard to deny its appeal.
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2016 Albert Boxler Pinot Blanc - France, Alsace (25.3.2020)
The relatively dark yellow color hints at a certain level of ripeness. The nose is quite pungent with exotic fruits, spices and a tea-like note. On the palate it is surprisingly weighty and viscous. Quite concentrated and powerful with a spicy edge to it. Serious and demanding in character, this is no crowd-pleaser. I dare to say that it even feels a bit tannic, having some bite on the finish, which goes on for a good while. This is clearly no easygoing summer day sipper, it demands attention and evokes contemplation, even if it is not massively complex aromatically. That said it does have a rather nice stonefruit character and some bitterness towards the finish. I think for the price it provides quite a lot and as such I applaud the effort, even if this is not something I would consider drinking on a weekly basis.
Posted from CellarTracker
UPDATE: This is in many ways clearly better on day 2. It is more seamless, just plain drinking better and its aromatics are definitely brighter and more vibrant than before. An indication of aging potential? Who knows.