Alsace is a unique place. Its wines have been captivating wine lovers for so many years and with good reason. Where else can you find grapes such as Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and others made in such distinctively fresh, aromatic and spicy styles? Of course, Germany, New Zealand and other regions of the world produce delicious wines from these varieties. Yet, there's something about Alsace that just sets it apart from the rest.
Undoubtedly, the terroir with its diversity of soils, sub-soils and micro-climates is a major factor. The wine region is located in the foothills of the Vosges mountains in north-eastern France near the German border. This natural barrier protects the vineyards which benefit from a semi-continental climate with generally warm, sunny, dry summer days and cold winters. Chilly autumn nights then allow for a slower ripening of the grapes. There are over 15,500 hectares of AOC vineyards with 51 having 'Grand Cru' status.
Wolfberger is a co-operative that dates back to 1902. Based in the village of Eguisheim, their vineyards cover 1200 hectares and 13,000 parcels. So, their award-winning wines showcase much of the variety of Alsace.
The company is committed to an environmentally-friendly approach, encompassing sustainability of members' vineyards and ethical environmental practices. Also, with 53 hectares of organic vineyards already, more parcels are being converted and this will grow by 40% between now and 2023. Jérôme Keller, Wolfberger Cellarmaster and Technical Director, explains further the thinking behind this approach. "Organic winemaking contributes to better soil. It allows us to produce wines that gain in complexity over a longer lifespan and maintains a good level of profitability for our producers. However, we need to go beyond organic, which can have limits, either technical, financial or perhaps even ecological, by developing innovative solutions that combine organic and conventional methods."
Cover crops reduce evaporation of water in the soil by sun or wind. They provide a natural supply of water and minerals, a habitat for earthworms and a more developed biodiversity. Additionally, green manuring and direct seeding reduce nitrate leaching into the soils.
Within Wolfberger's varied wines are two from Rangen. Located around the town of Thann deep in the south of Alsace, Rangen (meaning 'slope' in old German) is the most southerly of the Alsace vineyards and the only one to be entirely classified as Grand Cru.
South-facing terraced plots lie on mineral-rich volcanic soil at an altitude of 320-450 metres. The high slopes are steep, reaching 68% in some places, so the harvest must be done by abseiling or roping down.
The wines have a distinctive smoky, flinty character and good acidity with a salty, mineral edge. These are deep, concentrated wines that linger on the palate and have fantastic ageing potential too.
For this year's Millésimes Alsace Digitasting, I was sent two Wolfberger wines. Unfortunately, the 3cl bottles did not do the wines any justice, so it was a welcome sight to receive full size bottles of the Gewurztraminer 2019 and Pinot Gris Grand Cru Rangen 2015.
Appearance: Bright golden yellow with a slight tinge of green.
Nose: Aromatic with rose petal florality 🌹, lychee, mango 🥭 and a hint of cardamom.
Palate: Fresh and slightly honeyed with juicy, ripe tropical fruit to the fore. Notes of red peppercorn spice and Turkish Delight build mid-to-end palate with a rounded mouthfeel and a long, elegant finish. Although described as medium-sweet, the wine feels more towards the medium-dry end of the dry-sweet spectrum (residual sugar is in fact 15.9g/L). There is no malolactic fermentation for the 2019 vintage, which keeps enough acidity in the wine to prevent it ever feeling cloying or over-sweet. ABV is 13.4%.
Food match: Many spicy Asian and sweet and sour dishes, some strong cheeses too.
Wolfberger Gewurztraminer is available at Co-op for £9.25 a bottle.
Appearance: Bright gold.
Nose: Slightly smoky with notes of ripe pear 🍐, apple core 🍎, grated hazelnuts 🌰, dried apricot and gingerbread.
Palate: Medium-sweet (residual sugar is 21g/L) with good acidity. Fruity notes of sweet, juicy pear 🍐 and Russet apple with honey 🍯, dried apricot, quince paste and fine white pepper spice. ABV is 14.2%.
Food match: Roast chicken 🍗, smoked fish, aged Manchego cheese with membrillo or other mature cheeses, some desserts like peach and hazelnut tiramisu.
