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Tag Archives: alsace

Domaines Schlumberger Riesling Les Princes Abbes Alsace, France

06 Saturday Jan 2024

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$24, 5 stars, 92 points, alsace, france, riesling, VWTC


We tasted this wine at the 34th Virtual Wine tasting event, served both chilled and at room temp.  Pale yellow with medium viscosity (13% ABV).  The nose gave us aromas of petrol, lanolin, anise, yellow apple, ripe pear, pink grapefruit and lychee.  I made a side note say it smelled waxy and oily.  The palate is dry with high acidity and a medium body.  The petrol, wax and lanolin are immediately discernible followed by lemon, yellow apple, green apple and a sweet tart note from one of the group.  It finishes medium (+) in length with cutting acidity.   I gave it 16 points on our grading sheet.  The room temperature glass was a different beast, some preferred it over the chilled but I was unimpressed with its more muted nose and palate.  It seemed funky and medicinal but I still got petrol and citrus.  It felt heavier on the palate and displayed more acidity which was interesting/counterintuitive.  The finish was curt.  I gave it 10.5 points on our grading scale.   Overall I think this is a beautiful wine that needs to be served chilled.  It gets 92 points from me and for $24 a bottle- 5 stars.  I might need more!  Drink till 2035.  Salut….

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Anne De K Pinot Blanc 2019, Alsace, France

21 Friday Apr 2023

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$18, 4 stars, 88 points, alsace, france, pinot blanc


Medium lemon colored with a watery sheen (12.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of lemon zest, lime peel, white geraniums pear, yellow apple and an interesting peanut scent on the top rim of the glass.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium (-) body.  It’s a refreshing wine with crisp citrus notes coupled with some florals and a touch of pithy bitterness.  The finish is short and clean- making me yearn for the next sip.  This is going to be categorized as a summer pool-pounder to be drunk chilled and paired with steamed shellfish on ice with sides of lemon wedges and cocktail sauce.  A tasty and uncomplicated bottle that runs $18.  I’m going with 88 points and 4 stars.  Drink now.  Salut….

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Hugel ‘Gentil’ 2019, Alsace, France

04 Tuesday Apr 2023

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$15, 5 stars, 90 points, alsace, france, gewurztraminer, muscat, pinot gris, riesling, Sylvaner


Pale lemon colored with medium viscosity legs (13.5% ABV).  The nose has peach, lemon, lime curd, papaya, pineapple, ginger, white flowers, orange blossom and grapefruit.  Quite a layered set of aromas!  The palate is dry with medium acidity and a medium body.  The exotic and citrus aromas are confirmed on the palate with a touch of bitterness but no ginger.  The florals are feint but present.  I start to get lychee on the mid palate from the Gewürztraminer.  This wine also blends in Sylvaner, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Muscat- the Noble grapes of Alsace.  It is a refreshing yet multi-layered wine that has a crisp, medium length finish.  It will go beautifully with our garlic Scampi but I would also pair it with salads, grilled salmon or some charcoal chicken.  It’s well worth the $15 price point and gets 90 points and 5 stars from me.  Stock up for summer y’all.  Salut….

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Lucien Albrecht Riesling Tradition 2020, Alsace, France

09 Tuesday Aug 2022

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$22, 5 stars, 91 points, alsace, france, riesling


Medium lemon colored, this rather young Riesling has pronounced aromas of citrus, apple, pineapple, ginger and acacia.  The palate is dry (at 13% ABV that was an obvious assumption) with bracing acidity and a medium body.  Lemon, grapefruit, green apple, pineapple and some spice coat my palate to a medium length finish that is jaw watering.  This is a very refreshing thirst quencher that I am enjoying immensely.  Tonight’s pairing is fish and chips so this will work out quite well.  I would think this wine can age for a few years, say till 2030 and hopefully pick up some tertiary notes.  91 points from me makes this $22 bottle a 5 star quaffer to look for.  Salut….

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Hubert Meyer Riesling Winzenberg 2018, Alsace Grand Cru, France

20 Monday Jun 2022

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$60, 4 stars, 92 points, alsace, france, riesling


The thing that annoys me about Riesling is that most labels don’t tell you if it’s going to be dry, off-dry or sweet.  Deductive reasoning tells me this bottle is going to be dry due to it’s 13.5% ABV.  A very pretty medium lemon color in the glass with pronounced aromas of lemon zest, grapefruit pith, petrol, geranium and ripe pear.  It tastes dry as expected with very high acidity and a delicious cut of lemon/grapefruit.  The ripe pear note is more a green pear note on the palate but I do get florals and petrol.  I can sense the alcohol if I breath out through my nose, which is unusual for me as my threshold is pretty high to sense the burn.  I would say this wine is medium bodied and it has a juicy, tart finish that is medium in length.  It begs for Asian dishes or a grilled seafood platter.  I like it but think it will develop over time.  Right now it is really zesty with just a few primary flavors.  It should flesh out and develop with time as it has great structure for cellaring.  92 points from me for this $60 bottle makes it a 4 star effort.  Salut….

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Gustave Lorentz Riesling Vieilles Vignes Altenberg de Bergheim 2015, Alsace Grand Cru, France

14 Monday Feb 2022

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$50, 5 stars, 92 points, alsace, france, riesling


It’s Valentine’s Day and we are steaming up some Lobster tails with drawn butter and baked potatoes.  Need I say more?  A Riesling is about as perfect a pairing for that combo as I can imagine.  This one happens to be a Grand Cru that was recommended to me by a wine-drinking friend.

It is pale gold in the glass.  The nose has pronounced aromas of lemon zest, tangerine, lime cordial, honeysuckle, jasmine, quince and white peach- mesmerizing.  The palate is dry with bracing acidity, medium (+) body, long finish and generous mouthfeel.  The palate is chock full of citrus and florals with some white peach and ginger. The acidity is immense on the back end where the fruit flavors manage to survive the onslaught.  This wine begs for the butter I am about to throw at it, it is so crisp.  Delicious now, this one will last a long time in the cellar and hopefully develop tertiary notes that good Rieslings are known for- I feel like I committed wine infanticide.  92 points from me for this $50 treat makes it a 5 star wine.  Salut….

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Jean Biecher et Fils Sommerberg Grand Cru Riesling 2019, Alsace, France

08 Wednesday Dec 2021

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$40, 5 stars, 93 points, alsace, france, riesling


This Alsatian Riesling is a deep shade of gold in the glass.  The nose is exquisite- tropical fruits, citrus, hints of petrol and a touch of minerality.  The aromas are very precise and clean.  The palate is dry but it has a sweetness from the tropical fruit flavors of pineapple, mango, kiwi and persimmon.  Grapefruit, lemons and tangerine round out the citrus notes and the petrol is but a faint memory.  This wine has great acidity that lurks, keeping the wine fresh yet not cutting.  I like the way the fruit flavors are layered, showing good complexity whilst the acidity is barely noticeable until the back end, where I find my jaw watering.  This is a very refreshing wine with depth that will cellar nicely yet provides immediate satisfaction.  I’m sizzling up some shrimp with garlic and asparagus on a bed of Fettuccine.  Yum.  93 points, and for $40 it’s a steal that got 96 points from the pros.  5 Stars.  Salut….

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Boeckel Riesling Wibelsberg 2016, Alsace Grand Cru, France

23 Saturday Oct 2021

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$60, 5 stars, 94 points, alsace, france, riesling


Deep lemon color, bordering on gold this dry Riesling has got 5 years of bottle age and I’m looking forward to some tertiary notes.  On the nose I get ripe, tropical fruit- passion fruit, pineapple and honeysuckle.  Tertiary notes of orange marmalade and orange peel, honey and the aging hints of ginger and toast.  Th palate is delicious.  As mentioned, it is a dry wine that has no residual sugar, as is made obvious by the 13% ABV which gives this wine some nice body.  Good acidity is held in check by the weight of the fruit and I taste all the above plus chamomile tea.  Oh my, this is a scrumptious wine that is only just starting its journey.  I was hoping for that telltale petrol note, but alas , this wine is still young for a Grand Cru Riesling.  That note will probably take another 5 years to appear.  The finish is long and honeyed.  This is good stuff that will drink nicely till 2036.  I’m pairing it with shrimp and salad.  94 points from me for this $60 wine makes it a 5 star wine, glad I bought a few.  Salut….

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Boeckel Zotzenberg Gewurztraminer 2017, Alsace Grand Cru, France

02 Monday Aug 2021

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$40, 5 stars, 91 points, alsace, france, gewurtzraminer


I’ve been cooking Sous Vide Pork Belly steaks in a fiery Sambal Oelek sauce for the past 18 hours, it’s going on a fried rice dish.  The spice of this dish needs an aromatic white I do believe, so this Grand Cru Alsatian is getting the nod.

It is deep lemon in the glass and has pronounced aromas of lychee, rosewater, strawberry, blossom and some nuttiness.  On the palate it is semi-dry with medium acidity, medium (+) body, medium alcohol and medium (+) intensity flavors of lychee, rose, strawberry, honeysuckle and blossom.  The nutty note comes on the back end, where the finish is medium in length.  It’s a flavorful, yummy wine that has a touch of residual sugar to help offset the chilies in the marinade.  The floral and tropical fruit will meld well with the white meat and veggies.  This wine seems like it will develop some more in the bottle, so there’s no rush to pop’n’pour.  I’m really enjoying it and think it is a 91 pointer.  At $40 it’s a serious player that gets 5 stars.  Salut….

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F E Trimbach Pinot Gris Reserve 2014, Alsace, France

02 Monday Aug 2021

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$25, 5 stars, 92 points, alsace, france, pinot gris, VWTC


My little group of virtual wine tasters insisted on a mid-summer gathering so I picked some real beauties, starting with this Pinot Gris which we tasted at room temp and chilled.  Being a Reserve, it offered depth and complexity that many were not expecting- it was a hit.  In the glass it showed pale gold to light yellow, depending on who was commenting!  Aromas of pear, pineapple, blossom, honey, ginger, elderflower and nectarine were noted.  On the palate, flavors of honeysuckle, lime, and orange blossom coupled with a vegetal aftertaste.  I noted that it had good acidity, getting 92 points from yours truly.

The chilled version was more precise with some minerality on the nose coupled with cotton candy, marzipan, passion fruit, honey, ginger and peach- a whole different animal!  On the palate we got a fuller bodied wine with flavors of pronounced orange, less lime this time but lemon drops, ginger and Welch’s white grape juice.  Medium (+) finish btw.  I was consistent with the 92 points and for $25 it is a great intro to a higher quality Pinot Gris.  5 stars, pair it with shellfish and perhaps cellar for a few years.  Salut….

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