Alsace – Glorious Wine Country
May 4th, 2009
Having spent a previous weekend in Europe just south of Lyon in the Northern Rhone, I spent last weekend in Alsace and Champagne. Alsace is as beautiful as ever. Tourist numbers seem down on previous experiences and the make-up of the tourists seems to have changed with Europeans having replaced the Americans and Brits who dominated things previously. This is unsurprising as unless you are being paid in Euros the place is becoming increasingly unaffordable.This is my fifth visit to Alsace’s wine villages so I am beginning to know the area reasonably well. Here are some tips. Stay in Dambach-la-Ville, a charming wine town with a Grand Cru vineyard slope and about 20 producers.
If you are running short of time, the one must in Alsace is to visit the village of Riquewihr. The town is genuinely ancient and managed to survive both World Wars untouched. In the heart of town is the home of Hugel & Fils a label well known and easily procurable in NZ. The staff are very knowledgeable and speak good English. They are happy for you to sample pretty much all their range including their expensive “Noble Rot” stickies. Tasting is free and the wines range from around e10 for the “Classic” range through to e40-99 for the “Vendage Tardive” and “Selection de Grains Nobles” range.
The wine I liked best was the 2001 Riesling Vendage Tardive at e40,96 a bottle. This is a lovely complex dessert wine displaying a range of flavours. Quince, peach, orange marmalade and lime are all present with a lovely chalky minerality which softens the sweetness. The wine is less than 12% alcohol. Hugel only produce a “Vendage Tardive” Riesling in special years. The next release after the 2001 will be 2005. It is not yet on the market.
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