By most measures, the F.E. Trimbach’s riesling Clos Sainte Hune remains the flagship of Alsace’s dry white wines. Made from grapes grown in Rosacker vineyard’s distinctive Dolomitic limestone, the wine’s consistent elegance, complexity and fidelity to terroir certainly merit accolades.
But Alsace’s glorious dry rieslings do not stop there. The sheltering Vosges Mountain to the west create a marvelously sunny, dry climate over a stunningly diverse mosaic of soils in 51 grand cru vineyards. This provides scores of outstanding Alsace winegrowers with singular opportunities at every turn to make world-class dry rieslings worthy of serious consideration and enjoyment.
Just southwest of Strasbourg in northern Alsace, for instance, the village of Andlau nestles in a snug valley surrounded on slopes by three distinct grand cru vineyards: Wiebelsberg with sandy soils over sandstone, Moenchberg with marl soils and limestone and the magnificent Kastelberg with brittle blue slate soils. With laborious pruning, manual harvesting and organic treatments of the vines, the well-drained slopes yield outstanding quality grapes and thrilling riesling wines.
A visit with winegrower Rémy Gresser, a wily veteran of 40 vintages, proves the point. In the town center, Gresser points out a statue of a bear eating grapes, a symbol of Andlau’s winegrowing dating to ancient Gallo-Roman “pagan” times. More systematic cultivation began in the ninth century with the founding of the Abbey of Andlau.
Gresser, a former president of the growers’ Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins d’Alsace, focuses on his keen appreciation of history, Alsace’s larger purposes and terroir in his 2013 Domaine Rémy Gresser Riesling Grand Cru Kastelberg, Alsace, France. Its lovely, complex, floral and citrus aromas mingle with smoky hints. Ripe citrus flavors balance exquisitely with fresh acidity and smoky mineral touches. The wine finishes completely dry with a clean, lingering finish.
At 33 years old, the 1983 Domaine Rémy Gresser Riesling Grand Cru Kastelberg, Alsace, also reveals vibrant, persistent freshness, delicious ripeness and remarkable flair and personality. Its longevity comes from Kastelberg’s distinct slate terroir which, with dedicated hard work and savoir-faire, accords an abiding backbone of acidity and fruity purity.
Also in Andlau, bio-dynamic winegrower Antoine Kreydenweiss offers the terrific 2014 Domaine Marc Kreydenweiss Riesling Grand Cru Kastelberg, Alsace. Marvelous, pure citrus flavors unwind with fresh acidity and flinty minerality on a long, dry finish.
South of Andlau in Nothalten, hardworking winegrower André Ostertag, a biodynamic pioneer in Alsace, cultivates riesling in grand cru Muenchberg. Stony volcanic soils and pink sandstone prevail for a richer dry riesling as shown in the 2010 Domaine Ostertag Riesling Grand Cru Muenchberg, Alsace (PLCB Luxury Code: 48250; $57.99).
The golden color and ripe nose of apple and peach open to delicious ripe fruit with firm acidity. Fresh, pure fruit and resounding minerality frame the long, dry finish. It expresses eloquently distinctive Alsace terroir and the winegrower’s style and vibrant personality. Recommended.
Further south in Katzenthal, Felix and Aura Meyer tend riesling on the superb southeastern exposure of Wineck-Schlossberg grand cru’s sunny slopes. Ancient granite geology covered by thin topsoil yields full flavored, yet dry, wines with crystalline purity.
The 2011 Domaine Meyer-Fonné Riesling Grand Cru Wineck-Schlossberg, Alsace, France (PLCB Luxury Code: 46979; $41.99; Waterworks store only) delivers marvelous floral and citrus aromas along with taut citrus flavors of notable depth. Chiseled acidity creates beautiful, elegant tension balanced with delicious saline minerality carrying through the lingering, bone-dry finish. Highly recommended.
In Alsace’s southern tip, Grand Cru Rangen de Thann’s spectacularly steep slopes feature hard, purely volcanic grauwacke — metamorphic rocks with little or no top soil. Vine roots plunge deep into the mineral-laden subsurface to render wines with distinctive personality and exquisite beauty.
Father and son winegrowers Bernard and Alexandre Schoffit offer the captivating 2013 Domaine Schoffit Clos Saint-Théobald, Riesling Grand Cru Rangen de Thann, Alsace. Tasted in the vineyard on a brilliantly sunny autumn morning, the wine’s intense peach, citrus and smoky aromas lead to round, ripe-fruit flavors. Fresh acidity, smoky mineral flavors and a touch of creaminess frame a precise dry finish of marvelous length.
As Bernard Schoffit noted, “When you taste a wine like this, you’re happy you worked so hard to make it.” Enough said.