All winemakers in Alsace produce at least six and sometimes up to 30 different bottlings per year from the half-dozen main varietals, which include Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, and Muscat. Some producers will also make a Pinot Noir, a Cremant d’Alsace, or an inexpensive blend called Edelzwicker. This variety in the vineyard means that a gradual harvest is a necessity to ensure optimal ripeness for each grape. With over 20 types of soil formations, including an unique pink sandstone called gres de Vosges, terroir is extremely important to the nature of the end result in each bottle. The beauty of Alsace is the absolute reverence for the true expression of the fruit and place. Oak is always neutral, if used, and malolactic fermentation is strictly avoided.

The landscape is as idiosyncratic as its wine: Medieval villages of castles, fortresses, and traditional half-timber houses speckle the hillsides. Vineyards are draped on the slopes, especially those facing south, and pine trees form a crown above them. Alsatian producers tend to be small scale, and even the largest among them is family owned, with deep roots in the region. Domaine Barmes Buecher is a winery in Wettolsheim whose vineyards have been in the family since the 17th century. For the last 20 years, they have been committed to biodynamic agriculture, and nothing synthetic is introduced in their wines--including sugar, which is a not-uncommon addition to Alsatian wines (probably Alsace’s biggest collective adulteration sin). Founded by Genevieve and Francois Barmes, it is now run by their two daughters, Sophie and Maxime. They firmly believe that “wine is made on the vine and not in the winery,” and practice minimal intervention to produce wines that are highly expressive of their place.

Genevieve believes that modern wine drinkers are too impatient, and that wines are better drunk with some age on them. Their 2004 Pinot Gris, Pfleck is a good example of why. Much more so than when grown in other regions, Alsatian Pinot Gris is a powerhouse of weight and expression, especially over time. Pinot Gris, along with Riesling and Gewurztraminer, achieves the perfect balance of alcohol and acidity to develop graceful, honeyed characteristics as it ages. Grown at the Pfleck vineyard, this Pinot Gris benefits from the oligocene-epoch silty limestone that is rich in trace elements, which help contribute power and structure. The result is a voluptuous and unctuous elixir, with a broad amber color in the glass. The wine exudes honey, toasted almonds, marzapan, and aged flower petals on the nose. The palate is heavy and round, with notes of beeswax, mineral, and a touch of menthol. The sweet, bottomless aromatics belie the dry finish. It’s a luxurious wine, with long, long legs (14% alcohol), and it would be lovely sidled up to a decadent plate of gorgonzola gnocchi or dates draped in honey and toasted pistachios.

Barmes Buecher's 2009 Gewurztraminer, Herrenweg is spicy and ambrosial, with a pale golden honey hue and a silky viscosity. On the nose you get a Japanese garden of experiences: gardenia, jasmine, slate, lychee. Once it’s in your mouth, the spice pops and a light sweetness coats your tongue. It finishes very floral, with jasmine petals and a touch of pine needle. This pine needle is a direct attribute of vines grown in this soil—alluvial fans from the Fecht and Quarternary gravels on the Turckheim plain. The sweet/savory/spice notes in the wine pair well with a bacon-butternut squash-apple soup, especially one prepared with the wine itself (see recipe below).

Vendange tardive is a late harvest wine that is only prepared in favorable years, which sometimes means only once or twice a decade. They are so rare that production of these and their even-rarer botrytised counterpart, selection de grains nobles, together comprise less than 1 percent of the entire region’s wine. Barmes Beucher’s Gewurztraminer 2007 ‘Cuvee Maxime’ Vendange Tardive is a panoply of intensely sweet and savory notes layered over one another in a concentrated lushness. It’s a warm honey color in the glass with a gold rim. The nose opens up with a touch of smoke and slate, which leads to flower petals and toffee. The finish is sweet honey and candied ginger, and miles long. It’s a dessert wine, and would be work well with a pumpkin pie or a similar earthy, autumnal dessert. This is one to pull out for Thanksgiving.

Their 2008 Riesling, Leimenthal is stunning, and absolutely connected to its terroir: 40-year-old vines in oligocene clayey limestone and slabs of chalk in strata. The wine is layered and round, with notes of stone, slate, gunflint, and wool wafting over a meyer lemon palate, and a dry, bright finish. It’s easy to see why this grape is considered to be one of the region’s most noble. After 6 years, it still has a freshness to it, but the flavors have clearly become deeper and more intriguing. To anyone who says that Alsace doesn’t make food wines, I present them with a glass of this, alongside a plate of the local choucroute garni.

Despite a culinary history as rich as their viticultural one, there’s the misconception floating about that Alsatian wines aren’t food friendly. True, high alcohol and bold flavors can make it a bit trickier, but the fact that Alsatian wines pull off such an uncanny balance makes them sing with the right pairing. The key here is umami, the fifth basic tasting element that includes a broad category of savoriness. Think shellfish, cured meats, pastry dough, caramelized onions, pork, potatoes, mushrooms, cabbage, foie gras. And cheese--these are cheese wines to be sure. One of the true delights in Alsace is finding a vinous companion to asparagus, one of the world’s most unpairable foods. With a side of hollandaise sauce and a glass of Alsatian muscat, it’s the perfet springtime meal. The Domaine Paul Blanck 2012 Muscat d’Alsace smells like spring in a glass: peach blossoms, jasmine, tropical fruit, and moss. It is aged on its lees in large barrels for six to nine months, and there’s a discernable richness to the palate. It finishes on a bit of an herbal note, adding an interesting balance to the touch of residual sugar. Pour a glass of this with your next plate of asparagus risotto.

Domaine Paul Blanck has also been in Alsace since the 17th century, and has been making wine since the 19th. Paul Blanck was a driving force behind turning the site of Schlossberg into a grand cru. Several generations later, the domaine now encompasses five grand crus and four Lieux-dits (named vineyards) across 90 acres of vines, and produces 30 different types of wine. Brothers Frederic and Philippe, grandsons of Paul, use environmentally friendly methods in their fields and cellars, and work to respect their land and traditions. The diversity of terroir in their holdings and their minimalist approach comes through in the bottle.

Their 2008 Sylvaner Vieilles Vignes is surprisingly youthful and fresh for juice with six years of age on it. It’s pale lemon and light-bodied. The nose has a playful pear blossom and fruit aroma, with underlying lime and minerals. The finish is dry and the acidity is moderate. This would be a great accompaniment to fish tacos.

It’s interesting to drink Blanck’s 2011 Pinot Gris d’Alsace side by side with their Patergarten Pinot Gris of the same vintage. The more widely sourced bottle shows a flinty nose and dried pineapple notes, finishing on a light spearmint note. It leans toward sweeter fruits and an upbeat display, while its counterpart strikes a much creamier, more contemplative note, reaching toward Chardonnay viscosity and flavors of peach, lemon, nutmeg, and toast. The gravely Patergarten site is located in the valley of Kaysersberg. Grapes ripen early, and the wines are light and forward, reflecting the personality of the soil: clay, lemon, sand, and limestone. This golden sunshine in a glass is slightly off dry, and will most certainly ripen and develop character with age. Would be a great pair with a classic roast chicken. Try the 2011 d’Alsace with a picnic and chicken with tzatziki sauce.

Alsatian wines will never be linear, and they are definitely not shy. They are meandering labyrinths of flavors and textures, and truly unique to their place. You’ll only find them in their signature flutes d’Alsace, which, by law, they must be bottled in. This is white wine for the winter, with high alcohol and body, that wants nothing more than a bone-warming plate of sausage or potato au gratin by its side. Alsace is a region worth exploring, because once the novelty wears off, what you’re left with is a little funky, a little weird, but a whole lot delicious.

Bacon Butternut Squash Apple Soup
pair with Barmes Buecher’s 2009 Gewurztraminer, Herrenweg

3 strips bacon, diced
½ yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped
2 granny smith apples, peeled and chopped
1 c. Gewurztraminer
1 pt. chicken stock
1 bay leaf
½ tsp. nutmeg
salt and pepper
chives and croutons to garnish, if desired.

Over medium heat, fry the bacon until crisp. Remove from pan and let drain on paper towel. Set aside. Add the onion to the bacon fat in pan and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the apples, squash, and garlic, and saute for another minute or two, until the garlic is soft. Add the wine and let it simmer until it reduces by half. Add the chicken stock and nutmeg and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and let simmer until the apples and squash are soft. Using an immersion blender or stand-up blender, puree. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with bacon, plus chives and croutons if you desire.