GEOLOGY
Along the 120-kilometer wine trail, Alsace expresses itself as much through its terroirs – the minerality and soul of the subsoil – as through its grape varieties. The winegrower will only write on the parchment of the terroir his work and that of the vintage. There are no bad vintages, only bad winemakers. Please, let’s stop putting people on podiums and judging them. Each person and each wine has its own personality. Whether we understand it or not.
Alsace is the only wine region in the world capable of marrying perfectly with the specificity of a dish. Of course, this makes it very difficult to do without mastering the wine… and the dish. A Sauvignon from South Africa, Australia or France will always have the specific aromas of Sauvignon. A Riesling from Marlenheim in the north, or from Thann in the south, will have similarities only in the name of the grape variety.
Food
Contrary to popular belief, white wine goes well with many cheeses. You don’t need four cheeses and one wine, but four cheeses that go well with the wine. Comté, with Riesling Brandluft / Munster, Gewurztraminer Zotzenberg / Chèvre, Sylvaner de Mittelbergheim / Bleu, Sylvaner Colline aux Poiriers. The same goes for offal, white meats and fish. Think about whether they come from the river or the sea. Tender or salty.
Wine temperature. The cooler a wine is drunk, the more uninteresting it should be. Drinking a wine at a cooler temperature will allow its personality to express itself fully, without making it tense.
Decanting an old wine is an aberration. Start with a beautiful glass suited to the wine. Wide for reds and tall for whites. Taste it first when it’s opened, then if it doesn’t have any false tastes, pour it delicately, hang up the belt and enjoy the journey.
THE WINEMAKER'S WORK
The winemaker’s work is a thoughtful and personal endeavor that must stand out from the crowd in the glass.
It’s a job of respect for the environment, from life in the soil to life in the vat in the cellar. Wine is like friends, we all have them, but they’re not always the same. It’s your sensitivities and values that will enable you to love and understand a wine.
