Alsace is known for distinct white wines
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. If you find a few that you like, buy in bulk, and let some of them rest for a few years or more.
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.
Bright Meyer lemon, other ripe citrus and stone fruit give way to apple, peach and a touch of bitter nuttiness. $16 This wine offers musky and floral notes, leading to ripe pear, fennel, a touch of bitterness and a restorative lemony finish. $16
Bright, fresh tangerine and lemon meringue, pear and nuts commingle in this refreshing wine, which clocks in at 12.5 percent alcohol. $17
An 80/20 blend of pinot blanc/auxerrois, this wine offers lemon-lime, floral notes, apricot and other stone fruits, culminating in a refreshing, clean finish. $19
This wine offers candied orange, apricot, river stone minerality, tropical notes and a nutty finish with lingering spice. $20
With musky notes and expressions of ripe tropical fruit, melon and buttery bread, this wine features a mouthwatering zing on the finish, plus 13 percent alcohol. $22
With its round and soft texture, this wine offers ripe stone fruits and the slightly bitter tang of a peach near the pit, plus a long, nutty finish. $23
Generous ripe fruits, from citrus to tropical, join nuts and spice in this full-bodied, lip-smacking wine. $23