Pinot Gris from Alsace -- NOW I Get it!

WINE TALK
1

Berserkers,

I had my first ever Pinot Gris from Alsace today. All I can say is: OH. MY. GOD. [shock.gif]

NOW I understand it all. The worship and obsession Berserkers have for French Old World wine here which I merely attributed to bias is in fact 100% wholly justified. The true importance of terroir. I mean, I knew what terroir is intellectually, but now I know what terroir is spiritually. Terroir is no longer this wine term I Googled and whose understanding I try to apply to each wine I taste – it is now an Alsacian flute bottle filled with Pinot Gris. [worship.gif]

I suspected it was going to happen sooner or later but I actually thought it was going to be years down the road, not now! I have finally found the perfect dry wine that has make me a full-on wine aficionado and not just a residual sugar addicted mad scientist wine carbonating icewine loving foodie.

I did a spot tasting of an 07 Cave de Ribeauville Terroirs Pinot Gris at the flagship Summerhill LCBO store here in Toronto this afternoon and it just completely blew me away. I barely have words to describe the experience. It was clean, smooth, superbly balanced, sweet yet not sweet at the same time in an ethereal uplifting start, mid-palate and finish. As good as the best German/Austrian Spatlese or Auslese, but only a 1 on the sugar code.

I could scarcely believe it. I immediately went to the Alsace section to buy a bottle and spoke to the friendly product consultant. He gave me a warm smile that said “Ah, another convert” and informed me that the “sweetness” I was experiencing was actually a combination of fructose, flavonoids, alcohol and minerality from the terroir all perfectly matched and assured me that chemically the wines are definitely substantiated to be 100% dry on the sugar code.

The funny thing is… I CAN’T STAND PINOT GRIS WINE. Almost if not more so than Chardonnay. See, my sisters constantly drink horrible sub-$15 Pinot Gris from California and Pinot Grigio from Italy that truly sucks ass and they’re always forcing it upon me to drink. I really only tried it on a whim because it was there and it fit the theme of trying international wines I was doing.

I asked him why the plonk my sisters love drinking called Pinot Gris from California and Pinot Grigio from Italy isn’t as good as an Alsacian Pinot Gris? He smiled again and informed me that Alsace is home to THE finest white wines in the world and they are just not the same. Every other winemaking country offers Pinot Gris but they all dream of being an Alsacian Pinot Gris one day when they grow up.

As if God himself were trying to make the point to me, on the way out there were a couple of sample tables set up, one with a locally microbrewed beer and another with an Ontario winery featuring a Pinot Gris. Naturally I tried the Pinot Gris. Good lord, it was even worse than the swill my sisters always drink and force upon me. This must be what an Ontario Chardonnay tastes like to those of you brought up on fine Chablis. [bleh.gif]

Everything is closed tomorrow for Canada Day but I will be up bright and early Saturday morning to grab some different Alsacian Pinot Gris bottles from the different LCBO’s around town. [cheers.gif]

Wow. I’m almost scared to try Alsacian RIesling and Gewurztraminer now, for there is a strong chance they may become my holy trinity of white wines! [wow.gif]

2

Your homework: Go get a Trimbach, a Weinbach, and a Zind Humbrecht and report back on which style you like. This would be interesting with any of the varieties, I think.

3

Tran,
Sorry to have missed meeting you at the Al Stewart gig.
If you are up to it, Vintages Shop on Line still has some of the 2002 Pinot Gris Reserve Personelle, their top cuvee, from Trimbach that is, IMHO, worth the tariff. Additionally, if you can find any left anywhere the Anne Boeklin (spelling could be wrong) is different but, quite good. Again, IMHO, I believe Alsace is routinely a better place to meet terroir than is Burgundy. The Trimbachs, Weinbachs and Z-Hs age very well. I find the Z-H Clos Jebsel particularly distinctive.

4

Yum. Well done Tran. There is so much more fun to explore.

5

Funny- had one last night. Just posted a note.

6

Thanks for the tips, everyone. I’ll definitely look out for these three names. The Trimbach is not too much as I am used to that price point due to my already existing icewine addiction-- ahem, I meant affinity of course [wow.gif] – so I’m good with the price.

The Anne Boecklin did indeed catch my eye while researching which other Pinot Gris wines from Alsace to try out and since there is exactly ONE bottle left of it in Toronto at the Markham LCBO 1 hour’s bus ride away from me… I guess I’m waking up early tomorrow! [cheers.gif]

I have made up my mind to try at least one Gewurztraminer and one Riesling from Alsace as well, though may save these for my trip to Montreal in mid-July to pick up.

FYI, the names below are the ones currently available at the LCBO on top of the aforementioned Trimbach and Anne Boecklin so feel free to let me know which ones I should invest time in seeking out and trying as well. Thanks again. [drinkers.gif]

Willy Gisselbrecht
Cave de Hoen
Domaine Saint Remy
Rene Mure
Joseph Cattin
Anne Boecklin
Hugel & Fils

7

Oh man, a classic case of ignorance truly being bliss – In researching the three names you gentlemen gave me, I just discovered the LCBO is hosting an exclusive Trimbach tasting event for a very affordable $65… June 8 to 11th. [cry.gif]

If only I had discovered all this a mere three weeks ago… [head-bang.gif]

8

eh, maybe the finest pinot gris… maybe. But I find Alsace in general to be vastly overrated. I like it for gewurtztraminer. For riesling there are at least 3 countries, maybe 4 I’d rather be drinking from.

9

I very much like the Domaine Ostertag Pinot Gris Fronholz. With some age on it, it has this fantastic briny, seashell kind of character. I think it’s a terrifically food-friendly, ageable and complex wine at its price point ($35 or so?).

10

Not sure what countries’ they might be…but for pinot gris, pinot blanc, gewurtz and , particularly, riesling…I can’t think of any other region I like better. Pinot gris, as someone said, runs the gamut of styles from sweet, big and cloying to dryish and precise…at least these days.

Alsace riesling, for me, is myabe the most versatile white wine for food that I know of…and rarely disappoints.

11

+1

Though I can only think of two countries I would rather drink Riesling from. I’ve had occasionally superior Riesling from Alsace but after that I would just as soon drink something else.

12

I love Alsatian pinot gris. Barmes-Buecher makes some lovely dry wines in that seemingly sweet style and Zind-Humbrecht, of course, makes many wonderful PGs that are all over the dry-sweet spectrum. If you make it to S.F. we can open a bunch different Alsatians and have an alsatian choucroute garni fest.

13

Barmes-Buecher and Boxler are my two favorite producers for their whole line of wines, Trimbach’s rieslings can be terrific, especially at the “top”, where you pay for it.

Pinot gris has really evolved since the ‘80s…some of them have a bit too much r.s. to be versatile at the table, particularly with a choucroute garnie…even Barmes’ are something you have to know about the specific wine in the bottle. I have some '98s that are really dessert wines.

14

Stopped by the LCBO at Bayview Village today and here’s the final tally:

  • 07 Cave de Ribeauville Pinot Gris
  • 07 Domaines Schlumberger Les Princes Abbes Pinot Gris
  • 09 Cave de Hoen Pinot Gris Gold Mdeal
  • 09 Pfaffenheim Gewurztraminer Bacchus

The latter three are listed as medium dry (i.e. off dry) so I expect them to be a bit “sweeter” than the Cave de Ribeauville. I may go back tomorrow and get the Schlumberger Riesling as well.

15

Since I’m normally a Ries-o-phobe (Deiss and Prager exceptions), won’t/can’t comment on Alsatian vs. elsewhere. But I continue to mostly adore PG and Gewurtz from that region.

Tran, at some point I’ll probably end up trying you on some Zind-Humbrecht that I have, a very distinctive style. I agree that Trimbach and Weinbach make very different but equally fine wines. I have found the Les Princes Abbes to be hit and miss. I do like Hugel and Rene Mure, but especially Albert Mann—I find his stuff to be remarkably consistent…and good!

I have some, but sometimes I wish I had more, Alsatians, especially now-hard-to-find-up-here older vintages, like 01 and 94.

Paul, I may take you up on that offer if it’s extended to other Torontonians! [grin.gif]

FWIW, my other, perhaps only other, go-to area for PG is Oregon. It’s a very different style from Alsace, but really like the often fresh peach and grapefruit tanginess that permeates those wines. A very good B.C. Pinot Gris can very occasionally reach those heights.

cheers,

16

Paul, I may take you up on that offer if it’s extended to other Torontonians!

If you promise to bring a doggy bag to Tran! I’ve got a new batch of cabbage fermenting now. It should be ready by September.

17

I will be headed to Montreal next week to see my family and naturally plan a stop at the LCBO. Of course, they have over 100 Alsacian white wines available putting the LCBO to shame. Actually, maybe it’s good that I don’t still live in Montreal or I’d go broke trying to get each and every one of them. [help.gif]

More importantly, they have Hugel and Trimbach 2000 Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives! [wow.gif] Of course with my sweet tooth I must pick up a bottle of each. flirtysmile

18

Trimbach rieslings rock! If you have an opportunity try the Cuvée Frédéric Emile - fantastic in every vintage I’ve tried and a ton of aging potential.

19

Tran,
Remember that Trimbach aims for a drier style, even in their VT’s and SGN’s; and with age, they taste even drier. The 1983 Frederic Emile SGN is tasting only off dry right now. Actually a good savory food wine.
Another of my favorite Alsace producers not mentioned yet is Weinbach. Love their Gewurztraminer. Their VT’s are true dessert wines and their SGN’s are downright unctous.

20

I wonder if this is the same Pinot Gris you were referring to, Tran?

My recent review of the Anne Boecklin Pinot Gris Réserve 2008

Also, glad that you finally get Alsatian Pinot Gris. :slight_smile: