SUB-ZERO WINE BLOG

Alsace produces some of the world’s greatest whites, with style and character to burn. Alsace is now part of France, but thanks to its historic associations with Germany the place has a culture all its own. The language is a thick patois is unintelligible to outsiders. The winding streets of its capital, Strasbourg, are lined with gingerbread houses with steeply pitched roofs and colorful flowerboxes. Alsace is home to hearty comfort foods—a place where real men not only eat quiche, but shovel down heaps of choucroute garnie afterwards. The region also has an unusually high number of Michelin-starred restaurants.

Like the rest of its culture, the wines of Alsace are also unique. They carry a simple “Alsace” appellation, but there are a number of famous grand cru vineyards which might also appear on labels. The vineyard names as well as those of the producers are often German in origin but are pronounced in the French manner. The wines come in tall, slender bottles called fltes. Riesling is the signature grape, and it performs beautifully in the cool climate. Usually fermented until bone dry, these Rieslings are quite different from their sweeter German cousins, retaining a piercing acidity that makes them perfect with food. Gewürztraminers from Alsace deliver intense, penetrating aromas and spicy notes on the palate. Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris also excel here. In addition, don’t overlook the late-harvest wines of Alsace, designated “vendanges tardives” or “séléction des grains nobles” (the equivalents of the German Auslese and Beerenauslese).