Alsace

Alsace is a French region on the German border, unusual for labelling its wines by grape variety. It produces aromatic, dry to off-dry whites — principally Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and Muscat — with intense perfume and unusual body for cool-climate white wine.

Where Alsace is

Alsace runs north to south along the eastern flank of the Vosges mountains, which are the reason the region works. They block Atlantic rain, leaving Alsace one of the driest and sunniest places in France despite its northern latitude.

Vineyards sit on the lower slopes facing east and south-east, catching the morning sun. The geology is exceptionally varied — granite, limestone, sandstone, schist, clay and volcanic soils all appear within short distances — which is why the region has so many designated single vineyards.

The region has changed hands between France and Germany repeatedly, and the wine culture reflects both: French appellation structure, Germanic grape varieties, and bottles in tall green flutes.

The grapes

Four are designated noble varieties, and only these may be used for Grand Cru wines:

• Riesling — the most highly regarded. Drier, fuller and higher in alcohol than German Riesling, with lime, green apple, white peach and a firm mineral, sometimes petrolly character. High acidity, and long-lived.
• Gewurztraminer — unmistakable. Intensely aromatic with lychee, rose petal, ginger and baking spice. Full-bodied, low in acidity, high in alcohol, and often with a little residual sugar that makes it seem sweeter than it is.
• Pinot Gris — richer and broader than Italian Pinot Grigio, with pear, quince, honey and a smoky, sometimes mushroom-like note.
• Muscat — dry but smells overtly of fresh grapes and orange blossom.

Also grown: Pinot Blanc (soft, appley, the everyday white), Sylvaner (light and earthy), and Pinot Noir, the only red permitted, which has grown noticeably riper and more serious as the climate has warmed.

Crémant d'Alsace — traditional-method sparkling wine — is a large part of production and very good value.

Reading the label

• Alsace AOC — the regional appellation, with the grape named.
• Alsace Grand Cru — from one of the designated single vineyards, and restricted to the four noble grapes. The vineyard name appears on the label.
• Vendanges Tardives (VT) — late harvest. Richer, and usually sweet.
• Sélection de Grains Nobles (SGN) — from individually selected botrytis-affected berries. Intensely sweet dessert wine, and rare.

The sweetness problem

Alsace's genuine difficulty for buyers is that a standard bottle gives no reliable indication of sweetness. A Pinot Gris or Gewurztraminer may be bone dry or distinctly off-dry depending entirely on the producer, and the label often will not say.

Many producers now print a dryness scale on the back label, which helps. Otherwise the rules of thumb: Riesling is usually dry, Muscat is dry, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris are the unpredictable ones, and anything marked VT or SGN is sweet.

What it tastes like

The Alsace signature is aromatic intensity with weight. These are not light, neutral whites: alcohol commonly reaches 13–14%, and the wines have real body and texture, while the northern climate keeps acidity in place. The combination of powerful perfume and dry, full palate is what makes them distinctive.

Food pairings

Alsace whites are among the most useful wines for difficult dishes.

• Gewurztraminer with Munster cheese — the pungent local pairing, and it genuinely works.
• Gewurztraminer or Pinot Gris with Thai, Indian and Moroccan food — the aromatic spice and slight sweetness handle chilli and complex spicing better than almost anything else.
• Riesling with choucroute garnie — the regional dish of sauerkraut, sausage and pork.
• Pinot Gris with roast pork, smoked fish or mushroom dishes.
• Riesling with trout and river fish.

What to buy

Alsace is persistently undervalued, largely because the labelling confuses people and the bottle shape suggests sweetness that usually is not there. That makes it a good place to buy.

Start with a dry Riesling from a reputable grower for the classic expression, or a Gewurztraminer if you want the most immediately striking aromatic wine in France. Crémant d'Alsace is one of the best-value sparkling wines in the country.

Serve at 8 to 10°C — not colder, or the aromatics that justify the price disappear.