Andrew Williams Wine

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Alsace

Alsace is a deceptively simple wine region. The wines are labelled as varietals, so you only have to decide whether you prefer Riesling or Pinot Gris, Muscat or Gewurztraminer and Robert est ton oncle. If only it were so. The label may tell you the grape variety, but the wine inside the bottle may come in a variety of styles ranging from mineral elegance to floral intensity, and from total dryness to medium sweet. In addition, there are simple varietal wines, which may be drawn from a wide geographical area, and there are lieux dits and Grands Crus from more specific sites. Sadly these latter are not necessarily a guarantee of quality. The Grands Crus have become too large, and now stretch beyond the areas which historically have produced the best wines. Add to this the fact that some of the best producers have decided not to embrace the cru system and market their wines under brand names rather than vineyard sites. Having spent considerable time in Alsace over the past few years, I have decided that the only guarantee of quality is the name of the producer. Each village in Alsace has one or two stand out producers, and these are the names to look out for. Thus, when I am in Bergheim I always seek out the wines of Marcel Deiss and Gustave Lorentz. In Riquewihr, Hugel is a must. Similarly, I feel that Domaine Paul Blanck stands out in Kientzheim, as does Domaine Weinbach (Faller) in Kaysersberg. I am also a great fan of the biodynamic wines of Josmeyer in Wintzenheim. For truly dry Riesling Trimbach take some beating and Zind Humbrecht produce consistently, classy wines across their range. A recent discovery is Huber & Bleger who make excellent wines in the village of St Hippolyte. Their Pinot Noir is particularly noteworthy.

Of the different varietals, I find that Pinot Gris is the most consistent performer in recent years. The majority are characterful and opulent but with good balancing citric acidity. The best Rieslings show a mineral elegance, with more power than those produced in Germany. I have been pleasantly surprised by the Pinot Noirs in recent vintages, but I feel that many of them do not justify their highish prices. Gewurztraminer and Muscat remain something of a lottery. The best are attractive, and manage to balance the powerful aromas with a delicate palate, but too many are over extracted and overpowering. On recent visits I have also enjoyed many subtle Pinot Blancs.

In terms of vintages, the region has enjoyed three very good vintages since the somewhat difficult 2006. When I visited the area recently the 2010 vintage looked to have been a difficult one, and the jury is still out regarding the overall quality. To view current Alsace offer, click here...

Germany – The Kaiserstuhl

When I was in Alsace recently, I took time out to venture across the Rhine Valley to the Kaiserstuhl in the Baden region of Germany. This is a little known region, but one whose wines are worth seeking out. In typical Germanic style the region’s winemakers tend to make a plethora of different wines. That however is where the Germanic similarities end. Baden is the warmest wine region in Germany. In terms of climate and culture it is possibly closer to Alsace than to other German wine regions such as the Mosel.

The Kaiserstuhl is formed from a plug of volcanic rock that is all that is left of volcanic activity in the region 15 million years ago. This plug rises suddenly from the flat plain of the Rhine Valley, which gives it a unique micro-climate. This was illustrated perfectly on the day that I visited. The Rhine plain, and the wine villages of Alsace were drowning in a sea of mist, while the Kaiserstuhl was luxuriating in autumn sunshine. My first visit was to Weingut Dr Heger, in the village of Ihringen. Winemaker Markus Mleinek took me through a thorough tasting of Dr Heger’s wines. We tasted a superb, elegant Sauvignon Blanc, Weissburgunders redolent of peaches, with delightful fresh, citric acidity, intense Rieslings and even a Chardonnay Auslese. The standard was excellent across the board. The wines all displayed wonderful intensity and reflected the volcanic minerality of the terroir. However, Markus really came to life once we started tasting the company’s Spatburgunders (Pinot Noir). The Pinot Noirs of the Kaiserstuhl are one of the wine world’s best kept secrets. The long, relatively cool climate of Baden is ideally suited to producing complex, mature, flavoursome Pinot Noir. The Dr Heger Blauer Spatburgunder 2008 shows silky fruit, with a hint of spice and a touch of charcuterie. Soft dark fruit flavours are perfectly balanced by supple tannins. The 2007 Ihringer Winklerberg Pinot Noir represents a step up. It is still showing soft red fruit characters and sily tannins. It is an elegant, beautifully structured Pinot. The fruit undergoes a cold soak before fermentation, which gives a gentle extraction of colour and fruit, and it is matured for 18 months in 80% new oak, which serves to round out the tannins to perfection. The Ihringer Winklerberg is the best site in the village and, although comparisons are odious, this could easily pass for 1er Cru Burgundy. The 2008 Aachkarrer Schlossberg Pinot Noir, from another grand cru vineyard, is softer and warmer than the Ihringer, but is equally well crafted, with soft dark fruit and a hit of spice. These are wines that are attractive in youth, but have tremendous ageing potential. This is perfectly illustrated as Markus opens bottles from 1992, 1997 and 2002. All are still vibrant and complex, with the evolved secondary characters of mature Pinot Noir.

Later I visited the estate of Karl-Heinz Johner in Bischoffingen. Karl worked as a consultant to the emerging English wine producers of the 1980’s, before returning to his native journey. When I visited him, in Baden, in the late 80’s, he was producing wine in his garage. He is now the proud owner of a new, modern winery, and is producing some superb wines. As with Dr Heger, he produces wines using a number of grape varieties. His Rivaner represents a modern take on Muller Thurgau. When cropped at low levels this much maligned variety gives wines with soft delicate fruit and juicy citric acidity. It is rich and long in the mouth with hints of apricots and white peach. I was equally impressed by his Weisserburgunder (Pinot Blanc), Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris) and Chardonnay all of which show a decidedly French influence, utilising barrel fermentation and battonage (yeast stirring). Karl’s real passion is for Pinot Noir. His Pinot Noirs all display soft, ripe red fruit characters, with perfectly ripe tannins. The intensity of flavour married with considerable complexity, make for wines that will age beautifully. Older vintages show truffley, sous bois characteristics, while still retaining sumptuous amounts of fruit. The Pinot Noirs of both Johner and Heger would stand comparison with Pinot from anywhere in the world. To view current German offer, click here..