We sell gift vouchers - for more details call us on 0115 911 0555 or email us at eann@gauntleys.com
We sell gift vouchers - for more details call us on 0115 911 0555 or email us at eann@gauntleys.com
The beautiful and storied wine region of Alsace is one of France’s most beloved destinations for oenophiles. Straddling the French/German border, situated close to the city of Strasbourg and nestled in between the Vosges Mountains to the east and the Rhine River to the west, Alsace has a unique microclimate and cultural heritage that makes it wholly unique. For those who are passionate about and enjoy serious white wine, then Alsace is a region you’ll gravitate towards. The Alsatian grapes of Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Pinot Gris create wines that are amongst the best, most complex and age-worthy in the world.
Just as with most other wine regions, following specific producers is important if you are wanting to find the very best wines produced. We at Gauntley’s are incredibly blessed to work with some of the finest wine makers in Alsace, who produce a constant stream of wines that are as profound as they are delicious. Most notably we would point to the wines of Albert Boxler, Domaine Schoffit and Domaine Weinbach as the ideal place to start if you are wanting to discover the wonders of Alsace.
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Alsace’s unique journey through history has had a profound influence on the culture and wine of this French region. For centuries, this small area of France was the prize in a tug-of-war between two great empires – Germany and France – with each ruling it at different times, before finally being returned to French control after World War I. Remnants of both cultures can be seen in modern times: from language influences, to the unique architecture, to the style of the wines produced and the grape varieties permitted.
This breath-takingly scenic region is broken up into two parts: The Bas-Rhin (to the North, by Strasbourg) and the Haut-Rhin (to the South on the lower slopes of the Vosges Mountains). The Vosges Mountains are often cited as the secret weapon of Alsace when it comes to its winemaking. This Jagged strip of peaks starting around Colmar and heading South West parallel to the German border helps to shield the region from the weather and maritime influence to the west, leading to having the least amount of yearly rainfall in France. The lower foothills of the Vosges Mountains to the east, where the majority of the best vineyard sites are situated also provide an ideal balance between temperature, drainage and sun exposure for vineyards; as well as excellent aspects and elevation and a remarkable range of varied subsoils.
Alsace produces some of the most noted dry Rieslings in the world as well as highly aromatic Gewürztraminer and Pinot Gris wines. Boasting more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other wine-producing area, Alsace’s magical wines have a particular aptitude for food and are made in a wide range of styles. Residual sugar levels vary around the region: with the majority of Rieslings being fermented until they’re dry, where-as most Gewurztraminers and Pinot Gris’s tend to be off-dry to medium sweet and are known for their opulent, floral noses and glorious peach and lychee profiles.
Alsace is also famed for its ‘late harvest’ sweet wines: ‘Vendanges Tardives’ and the much stricter, more esteemed ‘Selection de Grains Nobles’, capable of rivaling the best Hungarian Tokaji and Bordeaux Sauternes. Although some growers choose to utilise the ‘Indice System’ on their labels (A coding system on the wine labels found underneath the alcohol level, indicating the sweetness of the wine – dry (1), off dry (2-4) or sweet (5)), many bottle labels do not offer any indication as to how dry or sweet a chosen wine is. For this reason it is often best to take advise from your chosen merchant here.
Alsace sets itself apart from other French wine regions because of its German influence. It is the only Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée region in France to produce mostly varietal wines, typically from similar grape varieties to those used in German wine. When a grape variety is stated on a label this also means the wine will contain 100% of the listed variety, a rarity when compared with the rest of France. The only anomaly here is Pinot Blanc, which whilst stating Pinot Blanc on the label, does not have to be 100%. If they use Pinot Auxerrois however, it must be 100% Auxerrois.
Also, whilst Alsace is broken up by AOC law like many regions of France (laws dictating everything from grape variety allowed to vineyard density and vinification methods), it does things slightly differently.
Whilst most French wine regions have numerous AOC appellations within them, preferring to showcase the town names and subregions that a wine comes from, Alsace prefers to showcase the vineyard sites and specific ‘Lieux-Dits’ alongside the grape variety on the label. Instead of a multitude of different AOCs Alsace simply has three: the generic Alsace AOC (responsible for around 92% of the wines in the region), Crement d’Alsace (the designation for sparkling wines produced in the region) and Alsace Grand Cru (the top tier 4% of Alsacian wine). The Grand-Cru are vineyard sites highlighted and certified for their exemplary terroir, there are only 51 throughout the region and only the white grapes Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and Muscat are permitted to be cultivated here; also known as the ‘noble grape varieties’.
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