Friday 25 August 2017

Wine tasting in Alsace

The wines of Alsace are world famous. Top of the range of the fine Alsatian wines are those from the Weinbach Estate. Established by Capuchin monks back in 1612, the grounds of the domaine are superbly set beneath the protective Vosges mountains of eastern France. The limestone and granite soil of this area has long been recognised for wines. The Romans back in 890 AD had planted vines here when the Empress Richarde gave the land to the Abbey of Etival. 
The monastery became government property following the French Revolution in 1798 and was acquired by the current Faller family  in 1898. I met Colette Faller over thirty years ago when as a wine buyer for Denmark I visited the estate on a regular basis.   Sadly Colette has now passed on but her daughter Catherine and her son Eddy are busy managing the estate. 

Domaine Weinbach


The 74 acres of the estate lie at the heart of the Kayserberg valley. Facing south and protected by tree lined hills, it's various terroirs amplify the regions hot microclimate and possess ideal wine growing conditions. 

Domaine Weinbach with Schlossberg Hill to the right.


Catherine Faller with Poul Jensen



Grapes on the lower estate awaiting harvest


A third of the Domaine vines are located on the prestigious Schlossberg Hill and enjoy exceptional environmental conditions: granite rock with shallow, sandy soil, southern and a steep slope ensuring optimal exposure to the sun. The first terroir in Alsace to receive the status of Grand Cru Schlossberg is particularly favourable for Domaine Weinbach's great Rieslings which it endows with elegance and finesse. We were exceedingly fortunate to be invited to taste a number of these wines by Catherine's son Eddy. 

Eddy Faller and Poul Jensen



Grand Cru Schlossberg 2016



The Grands Cru Marckrain, limestone clay gives birth to a fruity and well structured Pinot Gris.

Pinot Gris 2016


In contrast, the unique limestone and limestone clay soils of Grand Cru Furstentum and Mambourg are ideal for the Gewürztraminer grape, from which the Domaine produces opulent wines with great aromatic complexity.



All these fine wines had an extraordinary quality and an amazing depth of aroma which exploded on the palate, constantly challenging the vocabulary to resonate an appropriate response! 


We were in wine heaven! We could easily have stayed all day!  However having tasted so many fine wines so early in the morning ( we started at 10am) it was time to go out and explore some of the beautiful towns along the Alsace Wine Route. 

No comments: