Riesling rules
Wines from Alsace have long been the wine trade’s best kept secret. They rate for me amongst some of the most delicious white wines in the world, yet tend not to be well known or understood by the consumer. This is partly because over the last few hundred years the region of Alsace has changed hands many times after wars and, as a result, people are confused as to whether the wines are from France or Germany.
Today, the region is well and truly part of France, but because the wines are bottled in tall flute-shaped bottles, it’s easy to understand why drinkers should think they are Germanic. Added to which is the fact that many of the grape varieties, Gewürztraminer and Riesling for example, sound Germanic. The reality couldn’t be further from the prejudice. Light, spicy, really fragrant and aromatic, these are great food wines that taste delicious with Thai, Chinese and Indian cooking and any recipes with a Pacific Rim influence. They are also fabulous value for money, especially in the £5 to £10 bracket.
With the most recent run of four top vintages, there has never been a better time to buy Alsace. All the supermarkets are now stocking a small range of Alsace wines, but obviously this will increase if we buy more. If you plan to shop at an independent wine merchant or off-licence, there is a trade association called The Grandes Maisons d’Alsace which represents six of the top houses – Leon Beyer, Dopff au Moulin, Hugel, Kuentz-Bas, Domaines Schlumberger and Timbach. Look out for these names in shops as well as on restaurant wine lists.
Next page: great grapes and good buys
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