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alsace

Alsace

It’s no surprise that Alsace, France, perched above the border between France and Germany, produces wine that shows the influence of both winemaking nations. Typically dry, medium-bodied and fresh-tasting, Alsace wine shows off French winemaking style, yet it’s most often made from the white-grape varieties we associate with Germany, including Riesling and Gewurztraminer.

With the Vosges mountains to the west, and the Rhine River and German border to the east, Alsace is in a uniquely protected spot. Though it’s one of the world’s northernmost winemaking regions, it’s also one of the driest, as the mountains protect Alsace vineyards from rain. The long, dry growing seasons allow grapes to ripen fully. These grapes are filled with sugar and aromatics; when they are made into dry Riesling or Gewürztraminer wines, the wines retain lovely fragrance, delicious spice and moderate alcohol levels.

Sometimes, Alsace winemakers just let the grapes keep on ripening – and then make vendage tardive, or late-harvest, dessert wines. Sweet Alsatian wine is also made in the same style as Sauternes, using dried grapes affected by the Botrytis fungus.

Cremant d’Alsace, the region’s sparkling wine, is made from Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Riesling and other select grapes. With a light body, zesty acidity and fine bubbles, the best Cremant d’Alsace wines rival the sparklers of the Champagne appellation, 200 miles to the west.

In 1983, regulators created the Alsace Grand Cru appellation, meant to signal particularly fine production of local wines. To date some 50 vineyard sites around the region have been designated Alsace Grand Cru.

Contrary to French tradition, in which wines are labeled by place name, Alsace wine is typically labeled by varietal, such as Alsace Gewurztraminer or Alsace Riesling.