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” e the most ace, a disotential to cut both ways. Yes, the style is light and citrusy, and often does not plunge the depths of wine complexity. For some people, those are pluses. But because the wine is so accessible, with perhaps less to say than its gray relative, some wine drinkers look past it. I suggest deciding for yourself.

Think of pinot blanc as being closer to a crisp Chablis than an oaky California chardonnay. If you prefer leaner white wines with a little punch of citrus and even some rounder, riper fruits, Alsace pinot blanc might be for you. In Alsace, pinot blanc is commonly blended with the auxerrois grape, which can lend both spice and softness to the mix. Otherwise, these wines offer flavors of anything from tangy citrus to bitter nuts, pairing well with salads, light seafood and spicy Asian fare.

Alsace pinot gris occupies a spot on the other side of the intensity scale. The more-renowned of the two styles, pinot gris is also one of Alsace’s most intense and expressive wine styles. It offers fuller body plus floral notes, ripe stone and tropical fruits, bread crust and smoke. It pairs well with pate, seafood, cured meats, duck and roasted pork. As a bonus, pinot gris also has aging potential.

When shopping, you will see both grape names on bottle labels, as Alsace breaks from the French tradition of listing place names in lieu of varietal names. This is a boon for consumers, and so is the fact that the wines are relatively easy to find and fairly easy to buy, with many of them ringing up for somewhere around $20.

Alsace is considerably north, sitting 300 miles east of Paris on the Rhine River and the country’s border with Germany. The region enjoys a generally cool, long and sunny growing season, with only one French wine region north of it: Champagne. With that in mind, it’s worth noting that pinot blanc and pinot gris are also used in Cremant d’Alsace, the region’s famous sparkling wine, which is made in the traditional method, just like Champagne.

The following are notes from a recent tasting. The wines are listed by style — pinot blanc followed by pinot gris — and in ascending order, according to price.