Starting the New Year With Crémant d'Alsace & Lobster

January 1, 2018: I chose to open two bottles of Crémant d'Alsace as a delicious way to start the New Year. My first wines of 2018, paired with 12 pounds of Homarus americanus, the American Lobster. Bubbles and the Bounty of the waters of Maine.

Simply put, Crémant d'Alsace is a French sparkling wine from the Alsace region. In Alsace, they have been producing sparkling wines since the early 19th century but it wasn't until 1976 that the Crémant d'Alsace AOC was created. It's produced in a similar fashion to Champagne, though there are some differences as well. The term "crémant" means "creamy" and originally referred to sparkling wines that were produced with less pressure, which tended to make them taste more creamy than effervescent.

The Crémant d'Alsace AOC has strict regulations on viticulture and viniculture, and six grapes are permitted including Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Auxerrois Blanc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir. Most of their Blanc de Blancs is made from Pinot Blanc while Pinot Noir is the only grape permitted in their Rosé. Total production of Crémant d'Alsace, which comprises about 22% of the region's production, is about 33 million bottles. However, only about 300,000 bottles are imported into the U.S.

Americans need to drink more Crémant d'Alsace! In fact, Americans need to drink more wines, of all types, from Alsace. As I've said repeatedly before, the wines of Alsace are generally not on the radar of the average consumer but they should be. They can often provide excellent value and taste. They are enjoyable while young but can also age well. They can provide a sense of history, as well as showcase state of the art wine making. They pair well with a diverse variety of foods and cuisines. And at their most basic, they are absolutely delicious.

To learn more about Crémant d'Alsace, check out some of my previous articles where I share my passion for this tasty bubbly, including: Crémant d'Alsace & The Spartans At Thermopylae, Schoenheitz Winery: A Taste Of Beauty, Puritan & Co.: Alsatian Wine Advice, Gustave Lorentz: More Alsatian Wine Treasures, Alsatian Wines & Pheasant at Craigie On Main and Crémant d'Alsace: A New Year's Eve Recommendation.

The first of the wines for the evening was the 2014 Domaine Albert Mann Extra Brut Crémant d'Alsace (about $24). The winery is a union of two families, Mann (who have been wine growers since the start of the 17th century) and Barhelmé (wine growers since 1654). Currently, the winery is owned and operated by Maurice and Jacky Barthelmé, with their wives, Marie-Claire and Marie-Thérèse. The Barthelmés believe: "The goal of the estate is to produce wine that is in harmony with nature. Wine is the memory of the grape and is capable of transmitting the taste of the earth." In adherence to this belief, their estate is certified organic and has been Biodynamic since 1997. Their estate includes 23 hectares of vineyards, broken up into about 100 separate plots, growing Riesling (29%), Gewurztraminer (20%), Pinot Blanc/Auxerrois (19%), Pinot Gris (17%), Pinot Noir (11%) and Muscat (3%).

This Crémant d'Alsace is a blend of Auxerrois, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir. With a fine golden color and a myriad of tiny bubbles, it possesses an alluring aroma, with elements of fresh fruit. On the palate, the Crémant is fresh, crisp and dry, with delicious flavors of green apple, pear and hints of lemon. Though it is fruit driven, there is complexity in the palate as well, with a touch of minerality and hints of spice. There is a light, elegant creaminess to this wine with a lengthy, pleasing finish, ending with more fruit notes. It livened up my mouth and brought to mind the coming Spring. It was my favorite of the two Crémants and at this price point is an excellent value.

The second wine of the evening was the NV Meyer-Fonne Crémant d'Alsace Brut Extra (about $24). The winery is currently owned and operated by Félix Meyer, the third generation in his family since his grandfather founded the domaine in the late 19th century. The vineyards comprise about 12 hectares, over seven communes, each bringing its own unique terroir. Though the winery has been modernized, Félix still follows some traditions, such as aging wines on the lees in large, older foudres, and has a strong respect for terroir.

This Crémant d'Alsace is a blend of 60% Pinot Auxerrois, 20% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Blanc, and 5% Pinot Noir. Many of those grapes are sourced from vines that are about 45 years old. The lees rest in the bottle for a minimum of 12 months before disgorgement. It's color is a bit paler gold than the Mann but has equally as fine bubbles. Its aroma is more subtle, with mild fruit and a hint of brioche.   On the palate, this Crémant is fresh, crisp and dry, with more savory notes, underlying apple and citrus notes as well as a backbone of minerality. There is a touch of bitterness on the palate too, which isn't off-putting, and adds complexity to the taste. The ending is long and satisfying and is also a good value at this price point. Though I preferred the Mann of the two, I still enjoyed this wine and it is worthy of my recommendation too.

How did the Crémant d'Alsace pair with our lobster dinner? In general, Sparkling wine is a versatile food wine and often pairs very well with seafood. With the sweetness and rich of lobster, especially dipped in drawn butter, it helps to have a wine with good acidity and both of these wines possessed that trait. Plus, their tiny bubbles helped to cleanse the palate between bites. The complex flavors of the two wines also complemented the delicious lobster. It was a killer pairing, well appreciated by everyone at the table. And such a hedonistic way to begin the New Year.

With Valentine's Day coming, I'd highly recommend you emulate my dinner, and share some lobsters with your significant other, pairing it with some tasty Crémant d'Alsace. Or just drink some Crémant d'Alsace for another special occasion. Or just drink it because it is a Tuesday or Wednesday night.

(I received both of these Crémants as media samples.)

Crémant d'Alsace & The Spartans At Thermopylae

Last week, I pondered the similarity of Crémant d'Alsace to the 300 Spartans that defended the gates at Thermopylae against the massive Persian army. Yes, on the surface it may seem like a crazy comparison, but give me a few moments to explain.

On last Thursday, I participated in a Twitter Tasting event of four Crémants d'Alsace (all media samples). For some background on Crémant d'Alsace, please check out a few of my prior posts about this delicious Alsatian sparkling wine, including Gustave Lorentz: More Alsatian Wine Treasures, Alsatian Wines & Pheasant at Craigie On Main, and Crémant d'Alsace: A New Year's Eve Recommendation. 

As I've mentioned before, Alsatian wines, and especially Crémant, isn't on the radar of many average wine consumers. When we consider statistics about the U.S. sparkling wine market, we see that Crémant d'Alsace is in a similar spot to the ancient Spartans at Thermopylae, as only about 300K bottles of Crémant d'Alsace are imported into the U.S. That 300K stands up to a massive army of other sparkling wines, including about 18M bottles of Champagne and 99M bottles of domestic sparkling wine. This massive army of Champagne, Cava, Prosecco and other sparkling wines is like the huge and diverse Persian army which threatened the Spartans.

Crémant d'Alsace is vastly outnumbered in the market yet it stands strong, possessed of great heart. Those familiar with Crémant d'Alsace understand its power and allure. They understand that the quality of Crémant d'Alsace allows it to compete well against any other sparkling wine. It might be considered an underdog, but you would underestimate it at your peril. Give this "Spartan" bubbly a try!

Onto reviews of four Cremants d’Alsace...

What a sense of history! The Lucien Albrecht winery traces its roots back nearly 600 years, as it was founded by Romanus Albrecht in 1425. Albrecht was also one of the primary proponents of the creation of the Crémant d'Alsace AOC. The Lucien Albrecht NV Blanc de Blancs Cremant d’Alsace Brut ($19) is a blend of 80% Pinot Auxerrois, 10% Pinot Blanc, and 10% Chardonnay. Crisp, clean, dry and elegant, it possessed a prominent lime flavor with an underlying minerality. Complex and refreshing, I wanted to sip this with a bag of salty potato chips. A good value at this price.

I've previously tasted the Gustave Lorentz NV Cremant D'Alsace Brut ($24.99) and my prior tasting note remains relevant. Though this Crémant is labeled as non-vintage, the winery does not blend vintages so all of the grapes in this wine are from the same vintage. The Cremant is a blend, in equal proportions of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc. It spends 14-24 months on the lees, is disgorged three times a year, has an alcohol content of 12% and only 4000 cases are produced annually. It has a pleasant, fruity aroma of with a creamy, bubbly taste up front which finishes crisp and clean. There are appealing tastes of green apple, peach and melon. This is the type of sparkling wine that is going to appeal to many bubbly lovers. My craving for salty potato chips intensified with this bubbly.

My favorite of the four wines was the Dopff et Irion NV Crémant D'Alsace Brut Rosé ($17). Another winery with roots hundreds of years in the past, back to 1574, the Dopff family were also the first, at the beginning of the 20th century, to create sparkling wine in the Alsace region. This Brut Rosé is made from 100% Pinot Noir and I likened it to a dish of strawberries and cream. Though dry and crisp, there was a rich creaminess to the wine, with plenty of delicious red fruit flavors, including plenty of strawberry. Complex and with a lingering finish, I found this to be a compelling wine, as well as an excellent value for the price. Out of the four bottles of Crémant, this was the only empty bottle at the end of the night. Thought the other bottles still tasted delicious the next day.

The Domaine Charles Baur NV Crémant d’Alsace Rosé ($19) is also made from 100% Pinot Noir and provided an interesting comparison to the Dopff et Irion. The Baur was a darker red in color, with more prominent red fruit flavors and almost seems to possess a touch of sweetness to it. It is also fuller bodied and creamier than the other. I liked this Rosé but my personal preference is for the Dopff et Irion.

Do not underestimate Crémant d'Alsace. It is delicious and often presents a very good value for the quality. It may be the best sparkling wine that you probably are not drinking, but should.

Crémant D'Alsace Rosé: Domaine Camille Braun & Alsace-Willm

For any celebration, it's great to open some bubbly, and there's a wide choice of sparkling wines you can select. For my birthday celebrations this year, I enjoyed three different sparkling wines. One of these was a Grower Champagne, the excellent Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Brut Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru, which I drank at Island Creek Oyster Bar in Burlington. I've visited that winery before and love their Champagnes, all which are made from 100% Chardonnay. It was a great way to begin my birthday dinner at ICOB.

The other two sparkling wines were similar, both Crémant D'Alsace Rosé though from different producers. As I've said multiple times people, Americans need to drink more Crémant d'Alsace, and in fact, they need to drink more wines, of all types, from Alsace. They often provide excellent value and taste. They are enjoyable while young but can also age well. They can provide a sense of history, as well as showcase state of the art wine making. They pair well with a diverse variety of foods and cuisines. And at their most basic, they are absolutely delicious.

For more background on Crémant d'Alsace, check out some of my previous articles where I share my passion for this tasty bubbly, including: Crémant d'Alsace & The Spartans At Thermopylae, Schoenheitz Winery: A Taste Of Beauty, Puritan & Co.: Alsatian Wine Advice, Gustave Lorentz: More Alsatian Wine Treasures, Alsatian Wines & Pheasant at Craigie On Main, Crémant d'Alsace: A New Year's Eve Recommendation, and Starting the New Year With Crémant d'Alsace & Lobster.

The history of the Domaine Camille Braun extends back to 1523 in Alsace, and they have been producing wine in the village of Orschwihr since 1902. Currently, the owners, Christophe and Chantal Braun, own about 13 hectares of vineyards in or near Orschwihr, including the famed Grand Cru site Pfingstberg, which has been documented since 1299. The vineyards are now certified organic and Biodynamic, and their total production is only about 8,000 cases annually.

The NV Domaine Camille Braun Crémant D'Alsace Rosé ($25) is made from 100% Pinot Noir, the vines averaging about 30 years, as it is the only grape permitted in Alsace Rosé. Made in the méthode champenoise, the wine remains on the lees for about 18-24 months and only about 10,000 bottles are produced. The Rosé had a pleasing nose of red fruits and on the palate, the red fruits were more subtle and delicious, with hints of spice. It was dry and creamy, with a nice crispness to it as well. The fine bubbles helped to cleanse the palate and cut through the richness while I enjoyed this bubbly with a lobster dinner. An excellent choice for this pairing.

Maison Willm's fame began before it ever started making wine, and it centered on a compelling recipe, Escargots à l’Alsacienne, in which the snails were cooked in a broth of spices and white wine. Around 1896, the Willm family established a wine estate in the town of Barr, located at the base of the Grand Cru Kirchberg ("hills of the church") de Barr. This is a prime area in Alsace for vineyards. In the 1930s, they were one of the first wineries in Alsace to export to the U.S., allegedly becoming a favorite of the gangster Al Capone! I've previously enjoyed a couple other of their crémants, including the NV Willm Crémant d’Alsace Blanc de Blancs Brut and the NV Willm Cremant d'Alsace Blanc de Noirs Brut. 


The NV Willm Crémant d’Alsace Rosé ($18), made from 100% Pinot Noir, is produced by the méthode champenoise and remains on the lees for about 12 months. With an appealing nose of red fruits and a touch of spice, this was a delicious and lush Crémant with ripe flavors of strawberry, cherry and raspberry. Dry, crisp, and clean, with a fine effervescence, this was a true crowd pleaser. At this price, it is an excellent value for the taste and complexity found within the bottle. Highly recommended!

Wines Without Make-Up: An Alsatian Dinner With Jean-Frédéric Hugel

Back in August 2008, I participated in one of the first Twitter Wine Tasting events, held by Bin Ends, and which featured Etienne Hugel of Hugel et Fils. Etienne participated from Alsace, having remained awake until early in the morning so he could join us on Twitter. We tasted through five Hugel wines, from the Gentil to their Late Harvest Gewurtztraminer, and the general consensus was that these were delicious and compelling wines. Sadly, Etienne Hugel, at only the age of 57, passed away in April 2016, though the rest of his family continues to operate their successful winery, continuing his legacy.

Flash forward to October 2017, and I had the honor of attending, as a media guest, an Alsatian wine dinner at Bistro du Midi, with special guest Jean-Frédéric Hugel, Etienne's son (pictured above). Ray Osborne, the new Head Sommelier at Bistro du Midi presided over his first wine dinner, acting as an excellent host. Some of the other attendees included Brett Marcy, from the importer Frederick Wildman, representatives of the distributor MS Walker, and Len Rothenberg of Federal Wine & Spirits. Overall, it was a tasty and informative evening, with plenty of delicious food and wine, accompanied by lively conversation and a jovial atmosphere.

Jean-Frédéric was both personable and humorous, leading us through a discussion of Alsace, its wines, and the Hugel winery. He began the evening with a bit of history, highlighting the Golden Age of Alsatian Wine. Back in the 15th-17th centuries, the region of Alsace, which wasn't a part of France at that time, was considered the shining star of Europe and its wines were the most expensive in Europe. In addition, especially due to the efforts of Dutch merchants, about 600K hectoliters of Alsatian wines were annually exported all across Europe. Alsace's proximity to the Rhine river, the most important artery of communications in Europe, was a significant reason for Alsace's prominence.

Everything came crashing down in 1618, as the Thirty Years's War began, and would eventually devastate much of Central Europe, including Alsace. For example, as the war began, the town of Riquewihr, well known for its beautiful architecture was occupied by about 2200 inhabitants. It was also known as a winzerdorf, a wine village (and I love that term!). However, by 1648, at the end of the war, the town was nearly empty, with only about 122 residents remaining. Vineyards were abandoned and the quality and amount of wine decreased dramatically.

Back in 1639, while the war raged, Hans Ulrich Hugel settled in Riquewihr, entering the wine business and eventually became the leader of the powerful Corporation of Winegrowers. Despite the devastation sustained by Riquewihr and Alsace, Hans persevered and the Hugel family began its lengthy history of wine production, nearly 380 years. 

Today, it's the modern era of Alsatian wine, a new beginning for their industry, trying to recapture the glories of the past. The Hugel winery currently owns over 25 hectares of vineyards in Riquewihr, almost half of in the Grand Cru zone. Within those vineyards, the vines average about thirty years of age, have low yields, are hand harvested, and fertilizers are not used. The winery produces about 110,000 cases annually, with twenty different wines each vintage, and approximately 90% of their wine is exported to over 100 countries.

Jean-Frédéric provided some intriguing insight into Alsace and winemaking. He noted that culturally, Alsace is neither French nor German, though it might share some elements with each, especially as those countries have both owned the region multiple times. Instead, he stated it would be better to think of the Rhine river when thinking of Alsace. That is the key to the region, and historically it certainly played a major role.

He also stressed another important point, which can be summed up in the adage that: "In the vineyards, you make wine. In the cellar, you ruin wine." To Jean-Frédéric, vineyard management is much more important to the final product in the bottle than the work in the cellar. As he said, "it takes more than a person to make a wine" and during harvest, everyone is a vintner. He would rather have people ask the identity of the vineyard manager rather than the name of the winemaker.

Jean-Frédéric also believes that there is too much interest in the way the wine is made in the cellar, such as the type of yeast, length of fermentation, maceration periods, oak maturation, etc. Though those factors play their role, he feels that the majority of the interest should be properly directed toward what happens in the vineyard, such as cover crops, organic farming, herbicides, replanting, selection, root stock clones, soil probing, and more. Those factors play the most dominant role in the final product.

I've heard a similar sentiment from other winemakers, and have to agree that many wine writers, including myself, have devoted far more attention to what occurs in the cellar. That probably should change and we should pay more attention to vineyard management than we currently do. Jean-Frédéric was proud that their wines are "as natural as it comes," describing their wines as being "without make-up." That is certainly an interesting description for Hugel's wines.

Jean-Frédéric told me that every Monday there is a family meeting at the winery, discussing potential changes and other issues. He notes that there aren't any serious revolutions at the winery, merely little tweaks at various times, though those tweaks can add up over time to make big changes. He also noted that their wines have possessed the same label for 25 years and probably need a little refreshing. Though they are very good at making wine, they are not as good at marketing their wines. Jean-Frédéric mentioned that their approach to winemaking is simple in many respects, as they make wine as if they had to drink it all themselves. How many wineries actually follow that concept?

I asked Jean-Frédéric about the biggest challenge faced by the winery and he stated that it was the reputation of the Alsace region, and trying to get consumers to embrace it. He noted that sommeliers and the wine trade already have a passion for Alsatian wines, but it still needs to seep down to the average consumer. Part of the problem is that too many wine stores lump in Alsatian wines with their German wines so consumers are confused about the differences. They need their own identity, to stand out as a separate region with its own uniqueness.

I've echoed this sentiment numerous times in my own writings, noting how Alsace needs greater recognition with consumers, especially considering they make so many delicious and excellent wines. You should check out some of my prior articles on Alsatian wines, to understand better why you should be drinking these wines. A number of Alsatian wines have also been included in my annual Top Ten Wine lists.

I suggest you read some of my Alsatian articles including Crémant d'Alsace: A New Year's Eve Recommendation, Alsatian Wines & Pheasant at Craigie On Main, Gustave Lorentz: More Alsatian Wine Treasures, Crémant d'Alsace & The Spartans At Thermopylae, 2011 Kuentz-Bas Pinot Blanc: Alsatian For The Win, Puritan & Co.: Alsatian Wine Advice, Schoenheitz Winery: A Taste Of Beauty, Boston Wine Expo: Wines of Alsace & Luxembourg, and Summer White Wines? Think Alsace and Dopff & Irion.

Our five-course dinner was prepared by Executive Chef Josue Louis (pictured above), who has worked at Bistro du Midi since its opening and was promoted to Executive Chef in April 2016. Like Alsatian wine, this chef is worthy of more attention for the fine culinary offerings he prepared.

Our first course was a Romesco Soup, with stuffed calamari. The calamari was stuffed with raisins, olives and swiss chard, olive, and the soup was lightly spiced with a little chili. The savory soup had a mild kick of heat, and the tender calamari had a hint of salt and sweet. A well-composed, intriguing and tasty dish.

The first wine pairing was the 2015 Hugel Gentil (about $12), a blend of 50% Sylvaner & Pinot Blanc, 22% Pinot Gris, 15% Gewurztraminer, 7% Riesling and 6% Muscat. "Gentil" is an old word meaning "Noble," and refers historically to the Noble Grapes of Alsace, which were permitted to be used in a blend. This is the only blend that Hugel produces and they don't have a specific recipe for it. They simply have a broad idea of how it should taste and make the blend each year, with the grape percentages varying year to year. I should note that the 2015 vintage was considered exceptional in Alsace, and actually all across France.

This was an excellent value white wine, with lots of character and complexity at this price point. From its aromatic nose to the delicious melange of flavors on the palate, this was a wine for everyday drinking, especially with food. There were tasty flavors of pear, lemon and melon, with a hint of spice, and plenty of crisp acidity. It was fresh with a pleasing finish and pairs well with seafood. A Must Buy!

I also wanted to highlight that all of Hugel's wines possess good acidity. Acidity is a flavor enhancer and also cuts through fat. As such, you can drink their white wines throughout a meal, without a need for red wines. Though they do make a red wine, a Pinot Noir, if you really want one.

My favorite dish of the evening was the Flammekeuche, a deconstructed version with pork belly and goat cheese. Alsace has a love affair with pork and it is sometimes said that "Pork is the national vegetable of Alsace." The pork belly in this dish was tender and succulent, enhanced by the creamy goat cheese, creating a wonderful taste. My only complaint was that I wanted more of this dish and probably would have been satisfied just devouring a few more plates of this rather than having anything else.

The 2014 Hugel Cuvee les Amours Pinot Blanc (about $14) is a blend of 50% Auxerrois and 50% Pinot Blanc, and it does not spend any time in oak. This wine is dry and crisp, full-bodied and elegant, with delicious fruity flavors of pear and lemon. Pleasant clean flavors and a lengthy finish. Another excellent value at this price point.

The next course was Loup de Mer, with parsnip, crispy kale, and a Pinot Noir barigoule. The flaky white fish had a delightful crispy skin and was paired with a red wine, a Pinot Noir, which is the only red permitted in Alsace. Only about 8% of the wine production in Alsace is Pinot Noir. The 2012 Hugel Pinot Noir (about $16) is made from 100% Pinot Noir and sees no oak maturation. It's important to realize that though some people seem to think acidity is primarily for white wines, it is also important for red wines too, bringing freshness. The cool climate of Alsace gives increased acidity to all of its wines, white and red. The wine has an intriguing aroma of black fruit with a mild herbal note. On the palate, there is cherry, ripe plum and raspberry, with a hint of earth and herbs.  A pleasant, easy-drinking wine that worked well with the fish.

The fourth course was a Pork Loin, with coco beans, quince jus, and champagne mustard (though I failed to get a photo of this dish). The pork was tender and flavorful, cooked perfectly and certainly would please any lover of pork. Would you normally pair pork with a white wine? Well, they certainly do so in Alsace and we got to experience such a pairing, with the 2007 Hugel Schoelhammer Riesling (about $140).

This is the first release of this wine, a 100% Riesling which comes from the historic Schoelhammer vineyard, which has marl-rich soils. It took the winery 5-6 years to decide whether this wine should be bottled and sold or not. Then, it took another five years before they placed the wine on the market. It is a special, terroir-driven wine which should be able to age for one hundred years. This is an incredible wine, complex and beguiling, with sharp acidity, rich mineral notes, and some intriguing fruit flavors, including some green apple and lemon with a mild saline character. It is dry and full-bodied with a lingering finish that continues to please long after you swallow a sip. It is strong enough to stand up to pork but would be great with more subtle seafood as well. Highly recommended.

Finally, dessert was a Cardamon Cake, with almond brittle, ginger cremeux, and pear ice cream. This was a tasty and creative blend of flavors and textures, sweet and spicy. A fine ending to our dinner.

The final wine was the 2009 Hugel Vendange Tardive Gewurtraminer (about $55), a late harvest wine from a great vintage. It was certainly an impressive wine, with a mild sweetness, balanced by its crisp acidity, and with a complex melange of concentrated flavors that will tantalize your palate. You'll find orange, apricot, cardamon spice, floral notes, herbal accents and much more. It's nose alone is complex and alluring, calling to you like a mythical Siren. It is lush and decadent, and Jean-Frédéric said that it was an aphrodisiac, the best possible pairing for your "honey," the one that you love. He also stated that he loved pairing this wine with Jamón Ibérico de Bellota, the famed Spanish ham from the black-footed pigs.

Once again, I found plenty of reasons to enjoy and recommend Alsatian wines. The Hugel winery produces some excellent value wines as well as higher-end wines of great complexity and quality. Jean-Frédéric was a passionate and persuasive advocate for Alsatian wines as we as his own winery. He gave me much fodder for thought and it was a sheer pleasure to share a table with him.

I'll repeat once again, Drink More Alsatian Wine! 

Crémant d'Alsace: A New Year's Eve Recommendation

With New Year's Eve around the corner, Sparkling Wine takes center stage, including Champagne, Prosecco, Cava and domestic bubbly. Some people are willing to splurge on pricey Champagne while others are more frugal, seeking inexpensive, value sparkling wines. One excellent value option, which may be overlooked by the average consumer, is Crémant d'Alsace.

In 2008, Americans consumed almost 99 million bottles of domestic sparkling wine, 17 million bottles of French Champagne and over 45 million bottles of sparkling wine (like Cava and Prosecco) from other countries. Out of that 161 million bottles, only about 300,000 bottles, a mere drop in the bucket, were Crémant d'Alsace. It is clear how little Crémant d'Alsace is consumed here, though the amount of imports seems to be slowly increasing.

In the Alsace region of France, they have been producing sparkling wines since the early 19th century but it was not until 1976 that the Crémant d'Alsace AOC was created. Back in 1979, their total production was less than 1 million bottles but that has now increased to around 33 million bottles. The term "crémant" basically means "creamy" and originally referred to sparkling wines that were produced with less pressure, which tended to make them taste more creamy than effervescent. There are six other Crémant AOCs in France, including Bordeaux, Bourgogne, Die, Jura, Limoux and Loire.

Crémant d'Alsace is produced in a similar fashion to Champagne, though there are some differences as well. The Crémant d'Alsace AOC has strict regulations on viticulture and viniculture, and six grapes are permitted including Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Auxerrois Blanc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir. Most of their Blanc de Blancs is made from Pinot Blanc while Pinot Noir is the only grape permitted in their Rosé. For those who want value, Crémant d'Alsace usually sells for $10-$20, making it very affordable. But what does it taste like?

Based on my recent experiences with several Crémants, they generally seem to be more Old World in style, with restrained and subdued flavors. They generally don't possess bold fruity flavors like Prosecco and Cava, and are more dry, crisp and clean. They are refreshing, excellent with food and offer good complexity at their price point. I want to review two Crémants I recently enjoyed around the Christmas holiday (both being media samples) and I'll be discussing more Crémants in the near future. In short though, consumers should be seeking out Crémant d'Alsace if they want an excellent value sparkling wine.

The Willm Crémant d’Alsace Blanc de Blancs Brut NV ($13) is produced in a winery that has been around since 1896, and their wines were the the first Alsatian wines imported into the U.S., in the early 1930s, just after Prohibition. This Crémant is made from 100% Pinot Blanc. using the méthode traditionnelle. Crisp, dry and fresh, it possessed pleasant tastes of green apple and pear. A refreshing bubbly, it made for an excellent apertif as well as an accompaniment to some pre-Xmas dinner appetizers, including cheese. At this price, I strongly recommend this Crémant.

My favorite of the two wines though was the Pierre Sparr Crémant d'Alsace Rosé ($19). The winery extends back to 1680 so it has a long, rich history, making a comeback after being nearly destroyed during World War 2. This wine is produced from 100% Pinot Noir and is aged for about 12 months on the lees. It has a rich and vibrant pink color with a compelling nose of red fruits. The red fruit flavors, strawberry, cherry and hints of watermelon, are more subtle on the palate with mild accents of peach and minerality. Clean, crisp and dry with a pleasing finish. It reminded me of a delicious Provence Rosé and was a fine choice for my Xmas Eve dishes. Highly recommended for year round pleasure.

Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I briefly highlight some interesting wine and food items that I have encountered recently.
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1) The Massachusetts Restaurant Association (MRA) announces this year’s Stars of the Industry Awards Gala: an evening of food, drink, and entertainment recognizing leaders in the Massachusetts’ Restaurant Industry to be hosted by celebrated Comedian Tony V. An annual tradition, this event draws chefs and key industry players for a celebration of top talent in Massachusetts’ hospitality business, who have been nominated and selected throughout the month of August exclusively by MRA members. The top three finalists, all of who have demonstrated a range of exceptional skills and commitment, have been selected to attend the 2013 Gala; winners will be announced at the event.

The 2013 Award categories include:
Bartender of the Year
Bus Person of the Year
Cook of the Year
Dishwasher of the Year
Host/Cashier of the year
Prep Person of the Year
Parking Valet of the Year
Unsung Hero of the Year
Waitperson of the Year
Exemplary Service Award

Each winner will be awarded $250, a trophy, and a commemorative plaque to hang in his or her restaurant and all runners-up will be awarded $100. “All candidates have shown outstanding dedication and passion for the industry, and this is our way of giving them the recognition they deserve” says MRA President and CEO Bob Luz.

The gala will be held on Monday, October 28 at Lombardo’s (6 Billings Street in Randolph) and will begin with a cocktail reception at 6p.m. followed by dinner, entertainment, and an award ceremony at 7 p.m. Tickets are sold for $85 per person and table sponsorships are available for $1000 (includes a logo on the MRA website, sponsor tribute in MRA Newsletter, logo in awards gala program, and sponsor identification ribbons at the event). Tickets may be purchased online at www.massrestaurantassoc.org or by calling (508) 303- 9905.

2) Mâitre d' hotel and Fromager Louis Risoli and Wine Director & Sommelier Lauren Collins present this month’s Salon Session held at L’Espalier. They present Beyond Expectations: Exploring Exciting New Pairings at Salon Sessions – an intimate yet educational wine and cheese pairing. Join experts Louis Risoli and Lauren Collins this month, as they share their knowledge on pairing cheese with unexpected spirits including hard cider, sake, local craft beer and Pineau de Charentes (a fortified herbaceous wine). Cheeses are selected from L’Espalier’s award winning cheese cart and the sessions are held in the L’Espalier salon which overlooks Boylston Street.

WHEN: Thursday, October 10, 6pm
Reservations are required so please call 617-262-3023. Pricing for event is $55 per person.

3) On Tuesday, October 22, at 6:30pm, Legal Harborside will host a wine dinner with famed French winery, Trimbach Estate. Established in 1626, Trimbach is one of the most illustrious family winemaking dynasties in France recognized for their definitive Alsace varieties and Rieslings. Legal Harborside will team up with 13th generation owner, Jean Trimbach, to host a four-plus-course dinner featuring signature cuisine paired with Trimbach’s selections from their vine.

The menu will be presented as follows:

HORS D’OEUVRES
Lawerknepfle, Honey Poached Pear, Brioche
Bibalakass, Buckwheat Blini, “Gravlax” Trout, Pike Roe & Pickled Onion
Flammenkuchen, Lardon, Onion, Munster
Crayfish Cappuccino
Trimbach Pinot Blanc “Classic,” Alsace, 2010
FIRST COURSE
Choucroute Au Homard (Lobster, Sauerkraut, Potatoes, Pickled Mustard Seeds & Greens, Pork Foam)
Trimbach Riesling “Cuvée Frédéric Emile,” Alsace, 2006
Trimbach Riesling “Cuvée M,” Alsace, 2008
SECOND COURSE
Lightly Smoked & Roasted Cornish Hen (Fricassee of Boudin Blanc, Apricot Mustard & Hazelnut Gremolata)
Trimbach Pinot Gris “Réserve,” Alsace, 2009
Trimbach Pinot Gris “Réserve Personnelle,” Alsace, 2005
THIRD COURSE
Roasted Shoulder & Belly of Pork (Curried Heirloom Squash, Sage, Green Harissa & Coconut)
Trimbach Gewurztraminer “Classic,” Alsace, 2010
Trimbach Gewurztraminer “Cuvée des Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre,” Alsace, 2005
DESSERT COURSE
Roasted Pear Tart, Crème Fraîche Ice Cream
Trimbach Gewurztraminer “Sélection de Grains Nobles,” Alsace, 2001

COST: $125 per person (excludes tax & gratuity)
Reservation required by calling 617-530-9470

4) This autumn, guests are invited to take a culinary wine tour during the return of Beacon Hill Hotel & Bistro’s Wine & Dine Mondays series. Designed to both educate and entertain, this season’s series offers a playful spin on the industry’s typical wine dinner.

“Wine & Dine Mondays is about wonderful wines, creative food and good friends,” said Cecilia Rait, proprietress and wine director of Beacon Hill Hotel & Bistro. “This year we went a little more playful and decided to mix things up a bit by offering fun, out-of-the-box themes.”

Each of this season’s three dinners will be held on a Monday evening throughout the fall. Diners are invited to visit various wine regions without leaving the comfort of their seats as Cecilia and Tracy Burgis of M.S. Walker act as virtual tour guides, moving from wine to wine, explaining the history, curiosities and nuances of each selection.

The series is not simply about the wine. It is also about the food. Each four-course dinner showcases four wines as well the culinary artistry of Beacon Hill Hotel & Bistro’s Executive Chef Josh Lewin, whose dishes are designed to complement each course’s wine. This intimate adventure is set in communal seating to encourage conversation, laughter and fun. For $65 per person (tax and gratuity not included), guests are treated to four wines, a full four-course dinner and Cecilia's and Tracy's good cheer, humor and expertise. Reservations are encouraged as most nights sell out well in advance.

Wine & Dine Mondays Schedule

Hate School, But Love Class?
October 21, 7:00PM
Get your head out of the books for a little and enjoy a night filled with the other kind of class! The one that comes in a glass… Delve into some classic wine selections that everyone should know, along with wine tasting 101 facts. Eat, drink and be varied!

Expensive Taste
October 28, 7:00PM
Can you tell the difference between expensive wine and its less-expensive counterpart? Put your taste buds to the test! We will be mixing a variety of high-end and less-expensive varietals for you to try.

Heading Toward Winter Wonderland: Snowy Wines and Warm Foods
November 18, 7:00PM
Fondue, fires and the perfect wines are what make being indoors during the cold, long winter worth it. Enjoy a variety of bold wines alongside all those comfort foods you take pleasure in during the heart of winter.

COST: $65 Per Person (tax and 18% gratuity not included). Communal Seating. Reservations are necessary. Please call 617-723-7575.

Gustave Lorentz: More Alsatian Wine Treasures

Charlie Sheen, oysters, white blood, bäckeoffe and Riesling.

What do all five of these have in common?  I would learn that fascinating answer on a recent Monday evening as I drank some Alsatian wines with dinner.

At Island Creek Oyster Bar, I dined with Pascal Schiele, the Export Director of Gustave Lorentz, and Matt Demers of Quintessential Wines.  It was a fun, tasty and informative experience as I got to sample and learn about the Alsatian wines of Gustave Lorentz winery. This winery is making a new marketing effort in Massachusetts, and based on what I tasted, these are wines that you should place on your radar and seek out. For some background on Alsace, please check out my prior post concerning an Alsatian wine dinner.

The Gustave Lorentz winery, with a history extending back to 1836, is situated in the village of Bergheim in central Alsace. It remains a family winery, now in its sixth generation, and they currently have about 85 acres of vineyards on the hills of Altenberg de Bergheim, 4 acres planted on the hills of the Grand Cru Kanzlerberg and 30 acres in the Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim. The winery also purchases grapes from other vineyards, mainly in Bergheim.

Interestingly, the average cost of a vineyard in Alsace is the second highest in France, lower only than Champagne. Alsace vineyards, on average, are even more expensive than those in Burgundy or Bordeaux. Despite this high expense, Alsatian wines are not unduly expensive and you will find plenty of good values. Maybe certain regions in California, with expensive vineyard land, could take some lessons from Alsace in this regard.

As of 2012, Lorentz now has a significant portion of their vineyards certified organic and will soon be releasing a number of organic wines. Approximately 50% of their production is sold within France, mostly to restaurants, but that is going to change as French wine consumption continues to decrease. In response, the winery has been seeking markets elsewhere, to boost their exports. To bottle their wines, they use a combination of corks and screwcaps, and their high end wines use only cork as they don't feel they have sufficient experience with screwcaps for those wines. Their corks cost $1 each so definitely are not cheap.

They export to about 55 countries, making them the second largest Alsace exporter in the world. At this time, they sell about a dozen wines in their portfolio in the U.S., and 7 of those are available in Massachusetts (a few never before having been available here). Overall, their wines can be found in about 30 states and they are continuing to expand their distribution. Their U.S. distributor, for the last three years, has been Quintessential Wines. In the near future, they may start selling some of their Single Vineyard and Grand Cru wines in Massachusetts.

Pascal Schiele, pictured above, was born in Alsace and has deep roots in the wine industry. His great grandfather and grandfather were winemakers and two of his uncles are still winemakers. Pascal has desired to join the wine industry since he was a young boy. He never wanted to do anything else and his passion for wine was deeply evident at dinner. Pascal began in the wine exporting business in 1996 and joined the Gustave Lorentz winery in 2001.

During the evening, I asked Pascal what question that no writer had ever asked him before, and which he wishes they would, and his response was quick: "What color blood do I have?" An odd question to be sure, yet the answer resolved much. Pascal stated that his blood is white, because he has Riesling running through his veins. That is his favorite wine, that which most excites him. He certainly enjoys many other wines, but Riesling bears a special place in his heart...and in his veins.

I also asked him about some of his favorite Alsatian foods and three dishes came to mind. Choucroûte, the traditional dish of sauerkraut with meat and potatoes. Bäckeoffe, a casserole with meat & potatoes, often a winter meal. Escargot, a dish made by his beloved grandmother who was born in 1912. Over the course of the evening, Pascal told a couple stories about his grandmother and it was clear how important family was to him.

One of Pascal's favorite aspects of wine is that it "makes everyone on the same level." People of different social and economic classes all become equals while drinking wine. Consuming wine together, they share the same experience, which brings them together in a convivial atmosphere. It creates a positive bond, uniting people from diverse backgrounds. What a special aspect of wine!

Dinner was of course excellent, which I expected from Island Creek Oyster Bar, one of the best seafood restaurants in the city. We started with a dozen raw Oysters, four different types, and then I moved onto a bowl of Clam Chowder. The chowder was creamy, without being overly thick, and full of rich clam flavors with plenty of potato pieces, a bit of smokiness and delicious biscuit croutons. For my entree, I chose the Seafood Casserole, a hearty and tasty dish containing lobster, scallop and haddock. For dessert, I thoroughly enjoyed the Honey Crisp Apple Fritters with a Bourbon Caramel sauce. The wines and the food paired very well together, and I was pleased to have the opportunity to taste the wines with food rather than simply on their own.

Gustave Lorentz produces gastronomic wines, intended to accompany food, and they best can be described as fresh, clean, well-balanced and mostly dry. The six wines I tasted all conformed to that description and I often marveled at their clean taste, which I was later informed is the signature of Lorentz wines. These are also wines intended to reflect the terroir of Alsace and their vineyards.

We began our evening with two sparkling wines, Crémant d'Alsace. The term "crémant" basically means "creamy" and originally referred to sparkling wines that were produced with less pressure, which tended to make them taste more creamy than effervescent. They can offer excellent value, being less expensive than Champagne.

The NV Cremant D'Alsace Brut ($24.99) might be labeled as non-vintage, but the winery does not blend vintages so all of the grapes in this wine are from the same vintage. The Cremant is a blend, in equal proportions of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc. It spends 14-24 months on the lees, is disgorged three times a year, has an alcohol content of 12% and only 4000 cases are produced annually. It has a pleasant, fruity aroma of with a creamy, bubbly taste up front which finishes crisp and clean. There are appealing tastes of green apple, peach and melon. This is the type of sparkling wine that is going to appeal to many bubbly lovers.  

The NV Cremant D'Alsace Rosé ($24.99), as per law, must be produced from 100% Pinot Noir. It spends about 15 months on the lees, has an alcohol content of 12% and only 1500 cases are produced annually. It will be available in Massachusetts in early May. Vintage matters greatly for their Pinot Noir, and they need low yields for the best fruit. 2005 and 2009 were very good years for their Pinot. I was enamored though with this Cremant, relishing the alluring red fruit aroma. On the palate, it was crisper, and not as creamy, as the Brut with a dry taste of various red fruits, from strawberry to cherry. A fine sipping bubbly, I would enjoy this on its own or with various foods. Simply delicious and highly recommended.

My love affair continued with the 2012 Rosé of Pinot Noir ($18.99). The winery once was not strong in Rosé but as the general demand for Rosé wines increased, they chose to raise their production levels. The wine has an alcohol content of 12.5% and only 2500 cases are produced annually. With a bright pink color, the Rosé has a more subtle nose, subtle hints of red fruit, and on the palate, it is dry, clean and crisp with bright red fruit flavors. Refreshing and tasty, I couldn't get enough of this wine. This was my favorite wine of the evening and again it is something I could enjoy on its own or with food. As there are very few Alsatian Rosés in the U.S. market, this is a more unique wine. Highly recommended.

The 2010 Pinot Blanc Reserve ($18.99) is a blend of 90% Auxerrois and 10% Pinot Blanc, with an alcohol content of 12.5%. Pascal stated that Pinot Blanc is a "wonderful introduction" to Alsatian wines and is a "pure pleasure" wine. From its delightful melon aroma to its crisp, clean taste with pleasing flavors of melon, peach and citrus, this was an easy drinking, crowd pleaser. It has enough character to keep it from being too simple, and I would agree with Pascal that it is an excellent introduction to Alsatian wines, one sure to lure in wine lovers. And once you lure them in, they will likely stay for the rest of the Alsatian wines.

The 2008 Pinot Gris Reserve ($22.99) is made of 100% Pinot Gris. There is an Alsatian legend that in the 16th century, Baron Lazare de Schwendi traveled to Hungary where he found and enjoyed the sweet Tokay wines. He brought back a number of vines and they supposedly turned out to be Pinot Gris. Most likely though, the truth is that Pinot Gris vines were brought to Alsace from Burgundy. Unlike many cheap Pinot Grigio wines, this Pinot Gris possesses plenty of character and complexity. It has a richer mouthfeel, with prominent peach flavors, a streak of minerality and nice acidity. Delicious and worth seeking out.

The 2010 Gewurtztraminer Reserve ($24.99) is made of 100% Gewurtztraminer, with an alcohol content of 13.1%. The aroma is enticing, and you won't mistake it for anything else except Gewurtztraminer. On the palate, it possesses very bold and strong, spicy flavors and aromatics, including ginger, lychee, and floral notes. Though I liked this wine, and would have enjoyed trying it with some spicy Asian cuisine, it was my least favorite of the six. There was nothing wrong with this wine, but my personal preference would have been for the flavors to have been slightly less bold.

As I have written before, Alsatian wines don't seem to be on the radar of the average consumer. They need greater publicity to make consumers aware of their quality, value and excellent taste. Restaurants and wine stores need to work on hand selling these wines, recommending them to consumers who are open to expanding their palates. Wine writers need to highlight these wines, to speak of their virtues. The wines of Gustave Lorentz would be a fine introduction to consumers of the wonders of Alsatian wines.

Rant: Celebrating Bubbly Other Than Champagne

This Friday, October 21, is Champagne Day, a day to celebrate authentic Champagne from France. However, Champagne is well known across the world, and in some respects doesn't need a special day to promote it. There are other types of Sparkling Wines which can use much more promotion, as they still remain very niche wines, still unknown to many wine lovers. Despite their quality and though they often can be less expensive than Champagne, far too many people still have not embraced these Sparkling Wines and that must change.

So let me show some love for two types of Sparkling Wines worthy of your attention. These are wines I look for when I visit a wine shop or dine at a restaurant. I hope that you will also start seeking out these wines, expanding your palate and experiencing bubbly that will satisfy your palate and wallet.

First, Franciacorta, an Italian sparkling wine from Lombardy. I've said before that "Franciacorta may be the best sparkling wine that many people know nothing about." It is not always easy to find at wine shops and restaurants. Fortunately for myself, this past weekend, I was dining at an Italian restaurant on Nantucket and they had a half-bottle of Antica Fratta Brut Franciacorta on their wine list. I ordered it with my dinner and it was an excellent accompaniment to the food.

To learn more about Franciacorta, check out some of my previous articles which help show my passion for this delicious bubbly, including: Jeremy Parzen: Spreading Love For Franciacorta, Fun With Franciacorta, Franciacorta: Bubbly That Needs To Be On Your Wine Radar and Franciacorta: Serious Bubbly You Should Be Drinking.

Second, Crémant d'Alsace, a French sparkling wine from the Alsace region. This is another Sparkling Wine which can be difficult to find in wine shops and at restaurants, but it well worth seeking out. Crémant d'Alsace is produced in a similar fashion to Champagne, though there are some differences as well. The term "crémant" basically means "creamy" and originally referred to sparkling wines that were produced with less pressure, which tended to make them taste more creamy than effervescent.

To learn more about Crémant d'Alsace, check out some of my previous articles which help show my passion for this tasty bubbly, including: Crémant d'Alsace & The Spartans At Thermopylae, Schoenheitz Winery: A Taste Of Beauty, Puritan & Co.: Alsatian Wine Advice, Gustave Lorentz: More Alsatian Wine Treasures, Alsatian Wines & Pheasant at Craigie On Main and Crémant d'Alsace: A New Year's Eve Recommendation.

Both Franciacorta and Crémant d'Alsace are delicious, made in a diverse number of styles, and often cost less than Champagne. They both pair very well with food, though they can easily be enjoyed as an aperitif as well. They are also both quality wines, with numerous regulations as to how they can be produced. Both deserve their own special day to promote them so I'll take today to do my part to help make these sparkling wines better known.

Please tell me about your favorite Franciacorta or Crémant d'Alsace.

Alsatian Wines & Pheasant at Craigie On Main

Due to a late change of plans, I was able to attend a Wines of Alsace dinner, showcasing fall and winter whites, at the consistently superb Craigie on Main. There were a number of familiar faces there, including Jason of Ancient Fire Beverage and Jackie of Leather District Gourmet. Overall, it was a fun evening, with plenty of delicious food and wine as well as lots of interesting conversation. It was a perfect example of the joyous combination of friends, food and wine. Each of those three components is enhanced when combined together. That is something to keep in mind as the new year begins.

Alsace is a French region that borders Germany and Switzerland, and throughout history, control of the Alsace has often switched back and forth between France and Germany. That has led to an interesting fusion of the two cultures. The Alsace has a lengthy history of wine production, currently making over 150 million bottles annually of which they export about 36 million bottles. There are three Appellations d’Origine Contrôlées (AOC) including AOC Alsace, AOC Alsace Grand Cru, and AOC Cremant d' Alsace.

Approximately 92% of Alsatian wines are whites and the primary grapes include Gewurtztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Riesling and Sylvaner. Unlike most of the rest of France, the Alsace identifies their wine by the grape rather than the region. One quirk though has to do with wines labeled Pinot Blanc. Such wines can also include the grape Pinot Auxerrois, though it might not be listed on the label. In fact, a 100% Pinot Auxerrois wine can be labeled as Pinot Blanc. Just one of those wine oddities.

Unfortunately, Alsatian wines aren't on the radar of the average consumer. At the wine store where I work, I have almost never had a customer ask specifically for an Alsatian wine. At least they don't have a negative image of those wines. Dependent on the type of wine a customer desires, I have had success in recommending Alsatian wines, from dry Riesling to spicy Gewurtztraminer. It is more of a handsell though, and Alsatian wines need greater publicity to let the average consumer know of their quality and taste. My dinner at Craigie certainly showed some compelling Alsatian wines, as well as how well they pair with a variety of dishes. These are wines that would satisfy consumers.

Chef Tony Maws created quite a varied menu, including seafood, poultry, pasta, pork, Asian accents, and more. All of the dishes were delicious, as expected, though the pheasant was my clear favorite and I'll talk more about it later in this post. My dining companions all seem similarly impressed with the cuisine. I should note that many of my photos of the various dishes definitely do not do justice to their taste and quality.

We began our multi-course meal with Three Amuse Bouche Preparations, including Nantucket Bay Scallops (with crystalized ginger vinaigrette), Smoked Sablefish Rillettes and Squid Noodles (with nuoc cham). All three were flavorful bites and I enjoyed the smokiness of the rillettes though my favorite was the noodles, with such an umami rich taste. They whetted my appetite, making me eager for the rest of the meal.

Paired with the amuse bouche was the NV Schoenheitz Cremant d' Alsace ($14), a blend of 90% Pinot Auxerrois and 10% Pinot Blanc that was aged on the lees for 24 months. It also has an alcohol content of only 12% and was made with a low dosage. This is an excellent value wine; crisp, clean and elegant with pleasant apple and pear flavors as well as a streak of minerality. Very easy drinking and refreshing, it would be a fine apertif as well as a good pairing with food. You won't find many other sparkling wines that taste this good as this price point.

Our first course was more seafood, Kona Kampachi Sashimi, with thins slices of Asian pear, pinenut-miso puree and pickled mustard seeds. Silky smooth and firm kampachi with a slight sweetness from the miso and the pear. A nice combination of textures as well. The wine pairing was the 2006 Trimbach Cuvee Frederich Emile Riesling ($50), poured from a magnum. With an alcohol content of 12.75%, this wine is not produced each year, dependent on the quality of the available Riesling grapes. A stunning Riesling, with only a hint of sweetness, and plenty of acidity and minerality. A perfect wine with seafood.

More seafood arrived next, a Slow-Cooked Tasmanian Sea Trout Mi-Cuit with chorizo, scallion, and a boudin noir-housin sauce. A meaty and flavorful fish, the chorizo adding a salty edge though the savory sauce really elevated this dish. An excellent preparation. We had two Rieslings with this dish, one which was not my style though I know plenty of others who would have loved it. The 2009 Josemeyer Hengst Grand Cru Riesling ($66) is biodynamic and had a strong petrol smell, an aroma that I do not enjoy. It came out on the palate too so I wasn't a fan of this wine. However, the 2005 Schleret Herrenweg Riesling ($25) was more my style, dry with floral aromas, crisp acidity and some subtle lemon notes. Plenty of complexity, a satisfying finish and it worked well with the trout.

With a change-up, the next course was House-made Whole Wheat Fettucini with a foie gras-Jerusalem artichoke cream, Brussel sprout leaves, and house-cured lomo. Nice al dente pasta with a creamy, rich sauce enhanced by the salty lomo. This course also brought my favorite wine of the evening, the 2007 Marcel Deiss Engelgarten ($40). "Engelgarten" means "Angel's Garden" and it is a field blend of Muscat, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc. It is also biodynamic and has an alcohol content of 12%. This was a stunning and complex wine, with great tropical fruit flavors, crisp acidity, a strong minerality backbone and hints of spice. A wine to savor either with or without food. Well worth the price and highly recommended. The 2004 Rolly Gassman Pinot Gris ($45), also biodynamic, was delicious too with a compelling nose of Muscat and spice. I think it might have been overshadowed a bit being paired with the amazing Engelgarten.

As I mentioned earlier, my favorite dish of the dinner was the Slow-Roasted Pheasant Breast & Confit Leg with quince, chestnuts, and matsutake mushrooms. This possessed everything you desire from a perfect poultry dish, that addictive crispy skin and tender, moist and flavorful meat. I don't recall ever having a better pheasant dish. Chef Maws may be best known for his pork dishes, but his culinary talents are far broader.

Two Gewurtztraminers were paired with the pheasant, including the certified organic 2001 Becker Gewurtztraminer ($25), which has the usual Gewurtz flavor profile and was light and tasty. The 2010 Zind-Humbrecht Hengst Grand Cru Gewurtztraminer ($65) is Biodynamic and was darker in color than the Becker, as well as possessing a stronger Muscat aroma. It had more complexity and intensity of flavor than the Becker, a fine example of the potential of Gewurtz.

Finally, dessert arrived, Whole Wheat Crepes with Macoun apples, pepitas, and butternut ice cream. A nice treat to end the meal, with two Vendages Tardives, late harvest wines. The 2001 Charles Koehly Alternburg Grand Cru Pinot Gris ($55) was thick, rich and complex, with a mild sweetness well balanced by acidity. Delicious flavors of apricot, honey and dried fruits. It was my favorite of the two. The 2008 Valentin-Zusslin Bollenberg Gewurtztraminer Vendages Tardives ($50) was not as rich or sweet, having more acidity, though pleasant tropical fruit flavors.

Help spread the word about Alsatian wines so that they become something well known even to the average consumer. For a couple other recommendations of Crémant d'Alsace, check one of my recent posts.

Summer White Wines? Think Alsace and Dopff & Irion

"As I've said repeatedly before, Alsatian wines are generally not on the radar of the average consumer but they should be. They can often provide excellent value and taste. They are enjoyable while young but can also age well. They can provide a sense of history, as well as showcase state of the art wine making. At their most basic though, they are delicious."

Wine exports from Alsace to the U.S. have increased by about 24% since 2011. The U.S. is currently the 3rd largest import market by value though there is still plenty of room for growth for Alsatian wines. As summer approaches, now is a great time to familiarize yourself with some of the young, fresh white wines from Alsace, perfect summer sippers. Let me present a couple examples, value white wines that deliver on taste.

The Dopff & Irion winery has its ancestral roots hundreds of years in the past, back to 1574, and the Dopff family were also the first, at the beginning of the 20th century, to create sparkling wines in the Alsace region. In 1945, René Dopff took over the reigns of the winery, breaking away from some of the old winemaking techniques and giving precedence to terroir over grape variety. In this direction, he split the vineyard at Château de Riquewihr into four estates, naming them Les Murailles, Les Sorcières, Les Maquisards, and Les Amandiers. Each estate was dedicated to a specific grape variety. The total estate ranges across about 27 hectares, a large estate compared to the myriad of tiny vineyards in Alsace, often less than one hectare.

I previously enjoyed the Dopff et Irion NV Crémant D'Alsace Brut Rosé, which made my Top Ten Wines Over $15 (and Under $50) of 2014. Made from 100% Pinot Noir,  I likened it to a dish of strawberries and cream. Though dry and crisp, there was a rich creaminess to the wine, with plenty of delicious red fruit flavors, including plenty of strawberry. Complex and with a lingering finish, I found this to be a compelling wine, as well as an excellent value for the price.

I've now tasted two other Dopff et Irion white wines, and they too are compelling and delicious, excellent value wines.

The 2015 Cuvée René Dopff Pinot Blanc ($12.99) is produced from 100% Pinot Blanc, sourced from 300 selected vine-growers. The wine sits on the lees for about 4 months, is then filtered, and sits in stainless steel for several months before bottling. With a light golden color, it has a delightful fruity aroma, and on the palate, there are bright notes of peach, citrus and lemon. It has a rich mouthfeel, with a nice crisp acidity, and a clean finish. It is an easy drinking, but not single-note, wine and a very good value at this price. This would be delicious on its own while sitting outside though it would also pair well with seafood, light chicken dishes, and cheese.

The 2015 Cuvée René Dopff Crustacés ($12.99) is a blend of 80% Sylvaner and 20% Pinot Blanc, sourced from 300 selected vine-growers. The wine sits on the lees for about 4 weeks and sits in stainless steel for about six months before bottling. This wine had a slightly brighter golden color than the Pinot Blanc but had an equally delightful fruity aroma. On the palate, it is crisper and leaner, with delicious apple and citrus notes, a backbone of minerality, and a pleasing finish. Like the Pinot Blanc, this wine is an easy drinking, but not single-note, wine and a very good value at this price. As the label notes, this is an excellent wine for crustaceans and shellfish. I would love to pair this with a plate of oysters, shrimp cocktail and a chilled lobster tail.

When you seek out summer white wines, think Alsace. And the wines of René Dopff are a great Alsatian choice.

Boston Wine Expo: Wines of Alsace & Luxembourg

Despite the number of French wines at the Boston Wine Expo, there were only two wines from the Alsace region, located in northeastern France. I've previously enjoyed many wines from Alsace, from delicious & dry Riesling to compelling Crémant d'Alsace. "As I've said repeatedly before, Alsatian wines are generally not on the radar of the average consumer but they should be. They can often provide excellent value and taste. They are enjoyable while young but can also age well. They can provide a sense of history, as well as showcase state of the art wine making. At their most basic though, they are delicious."

There should be more Alsatian wines at the Expo, especially as there is a significant growth of imports. For example, Alsatian wine exports to the U.S. have increased by about 24% since 2011. In addition, the U.S. is the 3rd largest import market by value. Alsatian wines have plenty of room for growth, but it is obvious that Americans want more Alsatian wines.

Fine Terroir Selections imports wine from France and other Mediterranean countries, representing a single Alsatian producer, the Ruhlmann Winery. The ancestors of the Ruhlmann family were Hungarian knights who settled in the central Alsace back in 1688. The estate includes approximately 75 acres, with two Grands Crus (Frankstein and Muenchberg) and two Lieu-dit sites.  The winery produces five different lines of wines, from Cépage to Cave Précieuse, using grapes such as Auxerrois, Chasselas, Sylvaner, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Muscat, Gewurtztraminer and Pinot Noir.

The 2015 Ruhlman Riesling Cuvee Jean-Charles ($12.99) is more of a traditional dry Riesling with bright lemon, pear and citrus flavors, crisp acidity and some mineral notes. At this price, it is an excellent value wine, offering more complexity than many other Rieslings at this price. I think this would be an excellent seafood wine, with everything from oysters to sushi.

About 90% of the Alsatian wine production is white, so their Pinot Noirs are more difficult to find. I've tasted a number of Crémant d'Alsace Rosés, made from Pinot Noir, but their still Pinot Noirs have been elusive. The 2015 Ruhlman Pinot Noir Cuvee Mosaique ($14.99) was absolutely delicious, an easy drinking Pinot with a nice melange of flavors. It is very light red in color as well light-bodied on your palate. It offers bright red fruit flavors, cherry and raspberry, a hint of an underlying earthy element, and a decently long finish. At this price point, this is one of the best value Pinots you'll find and highly recommended. I'd buy this by the case to enjoy on its own or with dishes from burgers to pasta. It also means I need to seek out more Alsatian Pinot Noirs.

Wine importer Ansay International represents Domaines Vinsmoselle, a wine cooperative in  Luxembourg that was founded in 1921. The cooperative is located on the banks of the Moselle, encompassing about 800 hectares of vineyards surrounding Chateau de Stadtbredimus, the former home of Edmond de ls Frontaine, the national poet of Luxembourg. The cooperative, with almost 300 winemakers, also includes the traditional wineries of Greiveldange, Grevenmacher, Remerschen, Stadtbredimus, Wellenstein & POLL-Fabaire Cremant Development Center in Wormeldange. Some of their wines were first imported into the U.S. last spring.

Luxembourg is a small country, surrounded by France, Belgium and Germany, and when I tasted several of their wines it brought to mind the wines of Alsace. Similar grapes, similar styles.

The NV Domaines Vinsmoselle Pinot Luxembourg is a blend of Pinot Auxerrois, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Gris. It is intended to be an entry level wine, and it is fresh, crisp, and fruity, with delicious pear and melon notes and hints of herbal notes. And at only 11.5% ABV, you'll be able to drink plenty of this wine. It would be tasty on its own or paired with food, from seafood to light chicken dishes.

The 2014 Bech-Kleinmacher Naumberg Auxerrois Grand Premier Cru, with a 12.5% ABV, is a more complex and intriguing wine, with citrus and melon notes, but also a nice mix of spices and herbs, elevating its balanced taste. It is elegant, with a lengthy finish, and will delight and fascinate wine lovers.

The 2014 Wormeldange Wousselt Riesling Grand Premier Cru, with a 12% ABC, will remind you of an Alsatian Riesling. It is dry and aromatic, with plenty of lemon, lime and mineral notes of the palate. There is also a mildly spicy undertone, lots of complexity, and a lengthy, satisfying finish.

The NV Poll-Fabaire Crémant de Luxembourg Brut, with a 12% ABV, is a blend of Pinot Auxerrois, Pinot Blanc, and Riesling, presenting as fresh, clean and dry, with pleasant fruit flavors, a full-body, and a nice minerality. Tasty and creamy bubbly which should please.

Bring on more Luxembourg wines if they are as delicious as these examples.

Puritan & Co.: Alsatian Wine Advice

The wines of Alsace, mainly white and produced from grapes such as Gewurtztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Auxerrois, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sylvaner and more. As I've said repeatedly before, Alsatian wines are generally not on the radar of the average consumer but they should be. They can often provide excellent value and taste. They are enjoyable while young but can also age well. They can provide a sense of history, as well as showcase state of the art wine making. At their most basic though, they are delicious.

You can read some background info on Alsatian wines here, and also check out my prior Alsatian wine reviews. From those articles, you will quickly see that I am a fan of Alsatian wines. How about you?

Recently, I attended a media dinner at Puritan & Co., showcasing eight wines from Alsace. This was my first visit to Puritan, and definitely won't be my last. I enjoyed the food and found the wines to be compelling. In addition, there was plenty of fun and interesting conversation, providing some additional insight into Alsace.

Dinner began with a couple shared appetizers, including Clothbound Cheddar Gougeres, which were filled with gooey, melted cheese.

The Scallop Tartare, sitting in lettuce cups, were fresh and clean, with bright citrus flavors. Alsatian white wines and seafood often make an excellent pairing.

Our vinous sampling began with Cremant d'Alsace, sparkling wine to set the mood while also pairing well with our food. The 2011 Albert Mann Cremant d'Alsace Brut ($22), made by a Biodynamic producer, is a blend of Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. With a beautiful golden color, it had flavors of green apple and lemon with brioche highlights. It was elegant and clean, with a pleasing finish. My preference though was the NV Willm Cremant d'Alsace Blanc de Noirs Brut ($16) which is made of 100% Pinot Noir. This Cremant was creamy and smooth, with bright fruit flavors of apple and citrus. It too was elegant and clean, though lacking the toastiness of the Albert Mann. Your preference will depend on the style of sparkling wine you like best.

"Pinot Blanc and egg dishes go very well together. It also goes well with herbs."

For our first course, I chose the Wild Mushrooms & Farm Egg, which is made with arugula, garlic and smoked brioche. This was an umami-rich dish, the type of dish that makes you want to lick the plate clean, or use bread to sop up all the sauce and egg yolk.

I also have to give special kudos to the Rolls at Puritan, which are topped by a bit of salt and have such a great, buttery texture. They are addictive and it would have been simple to devour a half-dozen or more. It is also the type of roll that is ideal for sopping up your dish, so it was ideal for the mushrooms & egg plate.

The 2012 Willy Gisselbrecht Pinot Blanc ($12) is an excellent value wine, which was slow fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. It was fresh and fruity, with delicious apple and melon flavors, and enough character to elevate it above overly simple wines. An easy drinking wine, this would be great on its own or paired with light dishes, from eggs (like this dish) to seafood. The 2012 Mader Riesling ($17) is a Biodynamic wine made from 100% Riesling. It is dry and lean, with pleasant fruit flavors and a mineral backbone. It is the type of Riesling that I most enjoy, and it too goes well on its own, or with light food dishes.

"Pork is the national vegetable of Alsace."

Though I had a choice of a Pork Chop, I opted instead for the Pan-Seared Striped Bass, with a radish tomatillo and panisse. It was an excellent choice, and I had no regrets. The bass had a perfect sear, adding a bit of crunch to the sweet, flaky white fish below. It is fish cooked this well which would turn almost any person into a seafood lover. The dish is on their regular menu and I heartily recommend it. The panisse, kind of fried chickpea croutons, were also tasty and intriguing.

The 2011 Sipp Mack Pinot Gris ($20) is from another Biodynamic producer, and this wine was aged on the lees for 4 months. It was a compelling with, with crisp acidity, delicious melon and pear flavors and a subtle earthiness. Complex, with a lengthy finish, I was very much impressed with this wine and it is again an excellent value. The 2007 Becker Riesling Grand Cru Froehn ($25) is from an organic winery which is not certified Biodynamic yet. It has prominent lemon and lime flavors, accented by a mild petrol taste and a hint of sweetness.

After our entree, we enjoyed a cheese course, including Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, Sevre Et Belle Bucherondin and Herve Mona Pyrenees Brebis.

"The more it stinks, the better it goes with Gewurztraminer."

This quote refers to cheese, and I haven't done any independent research yet to verify whether it is true or not, but it sounds like a fascinating experiment. We enjoyed a 2011 Hugel et Fils Gewurztraminer ($24) with our cheese course, and it seemed to be a very typical Gewurtz, with intriguing spice and herbal aromatics and flavors. It paired well with the cheese. We also savored the
2001 Trimbach Riesling Cuvee Friedrich Emile Vendanges Tardives ($75),  a wine that hasn't been produced again since this vintage. Mildly sweet, with plenty of acidity to balance it, there were pleasant flavors of green apple, citrus and honey.

Consumers, pay attention! Alsatian wines are some of the best wines you probably know little about so seek them out at your local wine stores and restaurants. They won't stress your wallet so give them a chance.