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Wine grape harvest underway in Alsace

le duck — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 05:22:46 +0000

Across France much of the landscape and many small villages have stirred into frenetic activity with the start of the annual grape harvest – some areas have been busy for weeks already, whilst others may not start until later in September or even later if they are very high or concentrating on late-harvest (vendanges tardives) or botrytised wines.

Over in Alsace, the Hugel family are producing a daily video diary of the 2009 harvest, so that you can see the process and get some insight into the 2009 vintage potential. Hugel is one of the top names in Alsace and produce some really excellent wines. So far everything is looking very promising with ideal conditions for autumn weather and the condition of the vines – see http://blog.hugel.com/en/harvest/

Some of Hugel’s range can be found in the UK at Adnams and other independent wine merchants.

Alsace on the eastern border with Germany is a surprising region – sheltered from oceanic influence by the Vosges mountains, the Alsace wine region enjoys some of the lowest rainfall in France (just 400-500mm or 16-20 inches per year) and is blessed with a semi-continental climate—sunny, warm and dry. The key varietals – Gewurztraminer and Riesling produced here can be extraordinarily intense and elegant, and despite the Germanic shape of the bottle (and often the labels too) the wines are dry (unless they are late harvest versions) – for more info on Alsace wines see www.vinsalsace.com/

France comes to London – French Wine Growers Fair

le duck — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 17:12:29 +0000

For the first time this November there will be a French Wine Growers Fair in London (21-23 November 2008 at the Barbican). The Salons des Vignerons Independents (Independent Winemakers Fairs) are well established in France and we usually try to get to one of the fairs in Lille, Strasbourg or Paris which take place each November/December. (for more info see www.frenchduck.com) – these tend to be huge events with up to 1000 winemakers attending and offering the public the opportunity to meet the people who make the wine, do some tastings and stock up for the winter.
London’s French Wine-Growers Fair attempts to replicate the format in London from 21-23 November 2008 – with 130 traditional wine makers showing their wines – more than 500 wines on taste – and the opportunity to buy at vineyard gate prices (although regrettably with UK excise duty and VAT payable).
One of the exhibitors is a favourite of mine – Domaine le Fort from the little-known appellation of Malepère AOC near Carcassonne in the Languedoc. This is a small but beautiful domaine which is centred around a building which looks as though it was a fort for the French Foreign Legion, where Stephanie and Marc Pagès make delightful wines such as the Tour du Fort, a blend of Merlot, Grenache and Cabernet Franc, aged in oak. Not otherwise available in the UK, this could be a rare opportunity to taste and buy wines which seldom get to our shores, often because the volume of production is insufficient for the supermarkets and other importers.

Half-Price tickets (£10 reduced from £20) available from www.frenchwinegrowersfair.com – Domaine le Fort is on stand 22
For more info on Domaine le Fort see www.domainelefort.com

French Vineyards at the Real Food Festival

le duck — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 08:07:40 +0000

Amongst the wealth of good organic produce at the London Real Food Festival (24-27 April 08) several French wine producers will be in attendance offering tastings of their organic wines.
This includes Domaines Schlumberger from Alsace,the Irish-owned Chateau Haut Garrigue (or Wild Earth Vineyards) from Bergerac (South West France) and from the Languedoc Les Clos Perdus.

Les Clos Perdus is a small winery founded by Paul Old and Hugo Stewart based in the village of Peyriac de Mer (11 Aude, Languedoc-Roussillon) in the Languedoc region of the South of France.

The name Les Clos Perdus (Lost Vineyards) reflects our discovery of select parcels of old vines, scattered throughout the hillsides. Many of our small vineyards had been disregarded by larger producers because of their isolation, their low cropping potential and their inability to be machine worked.
The selection of grape varieties on particular soils, in differing locations gives the wine the complexities we are looking for.
Our aim is to produce distinctive well balanced wines of the highest quality.

They certainly seem to have hit the mark with recommendations from the likes of Jancis Robinson and listing at Gordon Ramsay at Claridges and the Club Gascon in London.
Interestingly they also list a rare white wine made from the Terret grape – (although currently sold out)
For more info on Les Clos Perdus see www.lesclosperdus.com
For more info on the Real Food Festival see www.realfoodfestival.co.uk/

Yapp’s Wine Sale

John — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 15:39:20 +0000

A highlight of the wine year has to be Yapp’s pre-Christmas sale which runs on 23 and 24 November 2007 (9am-5pm) at their delightful premises in Mere, Wiltshire. The setting is the Old Brewery and the range of wines on their list is an impressive choice of some of the best and most interesting growers in the Loire and Rhone, Provence, Alsace, Champagne, the Savoie, Roussillon, the Midi and Corsica.
To add to the offerings there is also an exhibition of contemporary still life paintings running from 9th-29th November 2007.
Amongst my selections from their list (not necessarily in the sale) I would highlight:-
- the Pic St Loup wines of Mas Bruguière (Languedoc)“.. rich, compelling wines with vivid garrigue fruit aromas, an earthy palate and good firm tannins.”;
- Menetou-Salon AC Domaine Jean Teiller (Loire) – “An atypically fruity wine with a scent of newly mown grass. The ripe, juicy palate yields a fresh, dry finish.”;
- the biodynamic Savennieres AC Coulée de Serrant (Loire) ;
- the red, white and rosé Lirac ACs from la Fermade (Rhone) “Sweet black cherry, touch of roasted sage, good brisk tannins – this is a Rhône red of finesse “;
- Bunan’s intense Bandol AC Mas de la Rouvière (Provence)“A deep ruby colour with intense aromas of truffles and peppers. The palate displays liquorice and tobacco with plenty of firm tannins.”
And let us not ignore some of the lesser-known offerings of Jasnières AC and Thouarsais (Loire); and the selection of wines from Savoie and Corsica.

Yapp Brothers Ltd, The Old Brewery, Mere, Wiltshire BA12 6DY

Follow the grape harvest in Alsace

John — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 06:31:44 +0000

This is a critical time in the winemaker’s year, and the only time when the vineyards and cellars seem really busy – choosing when to pick is such an important decision – too early and the grapes may not have reached optimum maturity – too late and the weather
Over in Alsace, the harvest at Hugel et fils is due to start on Monday 10 September 2007. Despite a generally poor summer, a good Spring and some decent weather in recent weeks has led to a promising early vintage.
Alsace is known as the “wine merchant’s wine” as they get to taste it and rave about it, but it tends not to sell as well as it should. But get beyond the Germanic names and bottle style, and these can be some of the finest dry white wines in the world, especially Riesling. There is no real entry-level wine to serve as a good introduction, but choose a good producer and you’ll not be disappointed with these elegant, dry and rich wines.

One of the best names in Alsace is Hugel et Fils, and to get winelovers involved with the harvest their website is running a daily diary of this year’s harvest in the form of a blog. This will give readers an opportunity to ask questions and make comments in a very interactive way.

Our 2007 harvest will begin on Monday 10 September and we have just posted our first comments on-line. These will be regularly updated and can be accessed directly at http://blog.hugel.com/en/

Hecules Wine Warehouse in Sandwich, Kent stocks some of the Hugel wines in the UK/

The Alsace Wine Route

John — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 18:03:56 +0000

This photo of a section of the Alsace wine route, taken just a few days ago really raised my spirits in what has been an English summer which can only be described in the range of “disappointing” to “disastrous”. Amid reports and experience of a very damp June in France and late ripening in the vineyards it was good to see a picture of a vineyard looking like it should in the middle of summer. Of course it also serves as a reminder that the Alsace climate boasts one of the lowest annual rainfalls in France, mainly due to being situated in the “rain shadow” of the Vosges mountains to the west.

The Alsace Wine Route winds its way from north to south, for more than 170 kilometres, along the eastern foothills of the Vosges. This delightful itinerary runs across a succession of undulating hills, through pretty villages with narrow streets of flower-decked, half-timbered houses, clustered around their church steeple.
Visitors can easily explore the heart of the vineyards, along numerous vineyard paths leading to the crest of each slope, where signs explain the work of the winegrower and the diversity of the grape varieties.
They are welcomed into winstubs and tasting cellars to instantly discover the traditional appeal of the vine and the wine.

I keep an eye on a site called Trek Earth which is a photo repository, and which includes a France section see – http://www.trekearth.com/ which is where the above photo comes from. I often see photos on the site which are very evocative of the magic of France.

For more on the Alsace Wine Route (la route des vins d’alsace) see www.vinsalsace.com – but if you planning on spending any time on that site I suspect you may want to turn the sound off!

Unhappy winemakers in France

John — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 23:04:40 +0000

Whilst the mid-summer in the UK has been pretty miserable and very wet, bad weather has not been confined to this side of the English Channel, and many wine regions in France are now reporting serious concerns, particularly about the onset of mildew on the grapes. Up to 60 days of frequent and heavy rains in Bordeaux, South West France and elsewhere have led to very damp conditions which provide an ideal environment for parasitic mildew to develop on the leaves and young bunches of grapes. Even spraying with the distinctive “Bordeaux mixture” of copper sulphate and lime does not have much effect when the rain dilutes its effects as soon as it is sprayed.

Certainly my visits to the wine regions of France this summer have been disappointing weatherwise, and unless the weather improves soon there may be a serious shortfall in the 2007 vintage. Really good weather from now until September could rescue the quality of the resultant wines, but not the quantity. However, the 10 day forecast for Bordeaux still seems to threaten rather changeable conditions rather than the reliably hot and sunny weather you would normally expect in mid/late July.

Alsace was also severely affected by localised hailstorms in June, which were so ferocious that cars were damaged by the hailstorms.

Just another reminder that owning a vineyard is seldom an easy option – pests, diseases, marauding animals, weather, the 35–hour week, customs bureaucracy….. all seem to conspire against you!

Alsace Wine Festivites 2007

John — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 13:42:08 +0000

Alsace (France) has a rich wine heritage, and throughout the summer and autumn celebrates the fruit of the vine with various Festivals, markets and other jollities where you can meet with winemakes, taste and buy their wines – or just enjoy the music and atmosphere.

For more info see www.vinsalsace.com

July 7th Nuit du vin DAMBACH-LA-VILLE (BAS-RHIN)
July 14th and 15th Fête des vins PFAFENHEIM (HAUT-RHIN)
From July 13th to July 15th Foire aux vins BARR (BAS-RHIN)
July 21st and 22nd Fête du Pinot Noir RODERN (HAUT-RHIN)
July 20th Nuit des Grands Crus EGUISHEIM (HAUT-RHIN)
July 21st and 22nd Husseren en fête HUSSEREN /CHATEAUX (HAUT-RHIN)
July 21st and 22nd Foire aux vins BLIENSCHWILLER (BAS-RHIN)
July 21st and 22nd Foire aux vins RIBEAUVILLE (HAUT-RHIN)
July 28th and 29th Fête du vin WETTOLSHEIM (HAUT-RHIN)
July 28th and 29th Fête du vin MITTELBERGHEIM (BAS-RHIN)
July 28th and 29th Fête du Gewurztraminer BERGHEIM (HAUT-RHIN)
August 2nd and 9th Du cep au verre BLIENSCHWILLER (BAS-RHIN)
August 3rd Nuit du Nectar OBERMORSCHWIHR (HAUT-RHIN)
August 4th and 5th Fête du vin au pays du Brand TURCKHEIM (HAUT-RHIN)
August 4th and 5th Fête du vin ANDLAU (BAS-RHIN)
August 4th and 5th Folles nuits du Crémant CLEEBOURG (BAS-RHIN)
August 4th and 5th Arts, Vins, Foie gras, Folklore EPFIG (BAS-RHIN)
From August 10th to August Foire aux vins OBERNAI (BAS-RHIN)
15th
From August 10th to August Foire régionale des vins d’Alsace COLMAR (HAUT-RHIN)
19th
August 11th and 12th Fête du Klevener HEILIGENSTEIN (BAS-RHIN)
August 11th and12th Fête du Silberberg RORSCHWIHR (HAUT-RHIN)
August 14th (19.30 pm), « Wielada » ZELLENBERG (HAUT-RHIN)
and August 15th (17.30pm)
August 14th and 15th Eurovin DAMBACH-LA-VILLE (BAS-RHIN)
August 14th and 15th Mariage de l’ami Fritz MARLENHEIM (BAS-RHIN)
August 18th and 19th Fête des portes des caves ouvertes GUEBERSCHWIHR (HAUT-RHIN)
August 25th and 26th Fête des vignerons EGUISHEIM (HAUT-RHIN)
September 2nd Fête des Ménétriers RIBEAUVILLE (HAUT-RHIN)
September 23rd Fête des vendanges CLEEBOURG (BAS-RHIN)
September 23rd and 30th Fête du vin nouveau ST HIPPOLYTE (HAUT-RHIN)
2September 29th and 30th Fête du vin nouveau WISSEMBOURG (BAS-RHIN)
September 30th Fête d’Automne WINTZENHEIM (HAUT-RHIN)
September 5th and October 7th Fête des vendanges BARR (BAS-RHIN)
October 7th Fête du Vin nouveau STEINSELTZ (BAS-RHIN)
October 13th and 14th Grande Fête du Raisin MOLSHEIM (BAS-RHIN)
October 14th Fête du vin nouveau MITTELBERGHEIM (BAS-RHIN)
October 14th Fête du vin nouveau ITTERSWILLER (BAS-RHIN)
October 20th and 21st Fête d’Automne OBERNAI (BAS-RHIN)
October 21st Fête des vendanges MARLENHEIM (BAS-RHIN)

Alsace Pinot Gris wines

John — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 13:40:57 +0000

The Scotsman (2 Jun 07) has an interesting article on the Alsatian Pinot Gris – clearly differentiating it from the often bland, but increasingly popular Pinot Grigio from northern Italy. In a way that sums up Alsace wines – distinctively different with their steely dry Rieslings and rich Pinot Gris. Alsace probably is the benchmark for the perfumed and exotic Gewurztraminer – and the region also produces Pinot Blanc (a tad unexciting) and dry Muscat wines. They are also proud of their late harvest “Vendanges Tardives” wines which can only made from the same 4 grape varieties authorised for AOC Grand Cru (Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and Muscat. The grapes are picked when over-ripe, often several weeks after the start of the harvest. A little red Pinot Noir is also produced (usually a little disappointing) and the sparkling Crémant d’Alsace can be excellent value.
The aromatic character of the grape is enhanced by concentration and the development of “noble rot” (Botrytis Cinerea).Uniquely in France, the wines are classified primarily by grape varietal rather then location – excepting for the “grand cru” and “lieu dit” (specific place) which can qualify the varietal name,
But back to Pinot Gris (or grey pinot)

The grape thrives in Alsace’s warm, dry microclimate, where long dry autumns provide the hang-time essential for building up flavours. Old vines, high-quality terroir and very low yields (below 40 hectolitres per hectare) are also essential for a decent result.

I can recommend the Alsace wines of Emile Boeckel in Mittelbergheim (67 Bas-Rhin, Alsace-Lorraine) but sadly cannot find a UK stockist these days.

In Alsace you can find really excellent co-operative wines, such as the Cave de Turckheim – the wonderfully named Blotto Wines in Somerset stock their Pinot Gris amongst other varietals.

To download a list of wine festivals in Alsace see www.frenchduck.co.uk

Christmas (Alsace only)

John — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 07:24:48 +0000

Public Holiday in Alsace (not the rest of France which only treats 25th as a holiday) Deuxième jour de Noël

.........Continue reading Christmas (Alsace only)

New High Speed Train Paris-Reims-Strasbourg

John — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 08:28:42 +0000

On 10 June 2007 French Railways opens the latest link in their high speed train network with the TGV Est Europeén which will link Paris with Reims, Strasbourg and points east – i.e. Germany (Munich) and Austria (Vienna) – all by high speed train.
Importantly it brings the travel time between Paris and Reims to just 45 minutes (previously 95 minutes) – so although an east-west route does not appear to be immediately useful for visitors from the UK, these timings make a day trip from Paris to Reims (for its Cathedral and the Champagne houses) more than possible.Or vice versa – a day’s excursion from Reims to Paris could enhance a long weekend in the capital of Champagne.
Similarly Strasbourg comes down from 4 hours to 2 hours 20 minutes from Paris, (and eventually to 1h 50m) providing faster access to the vineyards of Alsace.
Another example of an impressive approach to major infrastructure developments in France – made easier by the fact that France has so much more “elbow room” with twice the land area of the UK – and rather different planning laws.
LINKS:-
For more info see the LGV Est website with videos and information on the construction of the line
TGV Est website with information on train services, tickets, bookings, timetables

Hugel’s interactive Alsace vineyard map

AB — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 16:09:51 +0000

For such a long-established and very traditional and renowned wine producer, Hugel et Fils in Alsace have adopted modern technology with some va va voom! by offering online interactive maps of their famous vineyards around Riquewihr (68 Haut Rhin, Alsace).
There are a series of maps some of which can be overlaid, including aerial views, a geological map and the location of specific vines and “lieu dits”. Much of this can be zoomed in and out, and dragged in any direction. It gives a good sense of the extent of the vineyards and their impact on the landscape.

Alsace is quite a complicated region, and the terroir associated with some really quite small plots can make a significant difference to the character and quality of the wine.“This interactive map enables you to locate our estates in Alsace, to understand the geological complexity of the terroirs of Riquewihr, to visualise individual vineyards and grape varieties, and to measure the interface between vines and soils : Riesling in the Schoenenbourg, Gewurztraminer in the Sporen, finally Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir in the Pflostig.”

Oddbins stocks Hugel’s Riesling “Dry and crisp with underlying lime and kerosene fruit and mineral hints. Medium-bodied with a very long clean finish.”

For more info see http://blog.hugel.com/

Visiting French Wine Co-ops

John — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 06:40:47 +0000

Our mini-series on visiting French vineyards (French Vineyard Visits and Visiting French WIneries) looked at the “etiquette” of visits and explored the range of different types of facilities on offer.
There is however another option – which is to visit one of the many local co-operative wineries. The advantage is that they are staffed throughout the day, usually have a lot of good value wines on offer and you can usually get wine “on draught”. If you buy a plastic 5 litre “cubitainer” you can get it filled up with wine for a ridiculously low price – or sometimes be able to purchase wine boxes of the local wine.
A broad generalisation would be that co-operative wines are less “exciting” than many of those made by small independent winemakers. However, whilst this may apply to many, especially in the south of France, others do produce high quality wines.

In Alsace, for example, many of the best wines are produced by co-ops such as Turckheim and will offer an excellent tasting and range of wines.

In the Loire Valley, the Cave des Producteurs de Vouvray has a wide range of wine styles on offer and an interesting visit through the underground cellars.

In the Southwest, the co-op at Buzet (les Vignerons de Buzet) led the re-creation of the vineyard and established the appellation’s reputation for good quality wines. The visit to the winery also includes a demonstration of cooperage (barrel-making).
Another example of how good a co-op can be is at Plaimont in Gascony, deep in the heart of Armagnac country. A wide range of great quality wines from simple Vins de Pays des Cotes de Gascogne through to rich Madiran reds.

At Marmande the visit will be more basic, but the Cotes du Marmandais wines are fine and good value for money,
In the Languedoc one of my favourite Co-operative cellars is in the small village of Embres-et-Castelmaure in the Corbieres – some truly excellent wines in a delightfful if rustic surroundings.
Finally in the Southern Rhone valley I’d recommend the Cave de Beaumes-de-Venise for their well-known dessert Muscat wine, but also some very good red Cotes du Rhone.

Discover the wines of Alsace on video

John — Sun, 24 Dec 2006 12:13:18 +0000

Having been in the wine trade, we still get our share of Christmas Greetings from France – often these are fairly formal affairs – often a glorified business card – although some are more personal and entertaining. One that stood out was from Hugel, one of the very best names in Alsace.
This led me to re-visit the website at (www.hugel.com) where there are some really good videos (in English too) available to view or download. You can learn all about Alsace and its wines (did you know that Alsace is the driest wine region in France!) and of course about Hugel’s wines.
Alsace is something of an enigma with numerous contradictions – it’s French/German history and culture; the dry aromatic French wines in Germanic bottles with Germanic typefaces; the preponderance (and high quality) of the co-operative cellars and the mosaic of different terroirs. Alone in France, Alsace wines are identified by grape variety – predominantly Riesling, Gewurztraminer but also Tokay Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner and Muscat (and a little Pinot Noir red), although increasingly the best wines are also identified by the addition of “lieu dit” – often specific vineyard plots which have been officially recognised as providing superior quality.
Alsace also produces a blend – Edelzwicker – which to my mind is best avoided – the blend disguises the varetal character which is Alsace’s strength.
Alsace would make a perfect accompaniment to Turkey or Goose – particularly a fine Riesling would offer a nice crisp edge against the richness of the food.
Unfortunately Alsace is not particularly cheap – but good wines do offer consistent value for money – the Wine Society has a good range.

Independent’s 50 Best Wines

John — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 08:32:52 +0000

The Independent has a weekly series of 50 Best…. of anything ranging from toys, gadgets, hotels etc. On 16 December 2006 it was the time for their wine selection. I have never been quite sure how they arrive at the selection, but the lists usually show up something a little unexpected.
So it’s good to see some lesser known French wines on the list including:-
Saint Mont 2005 – from our favourite co-operative in Gascony – Plaimont’s wine is made from Gros Manseng, Petit Courbu and Aruffiac – “fine fresh,peachy fruit quality and classic southwestern bite and tang to the finish” – Marks & Spencer £5.79
Bandol AC Tempier Classique 2001 mainly made from the Mourvedre grape in Provence - “mingles flavours of blackberry and plum in a stylish, modern, seamlessly oaked style” – Stone Vine & Sun £16.95
Champagne Tarlant Brut Zero “a fine full-flavoured blend… excellent fruit quality crafted in super-elegant style”.- Marks & Spencer £25 – proprietor Benoit Tarlant also has an interesting video diary at http://champagne.typepad.com/podcast/
Alsace Riesling AC Trimbach Civee Frederic Emile 2001 “intensely aromatic dry white, whose lime-zesty fruitiness and typical Riesling “petrolly” notes are balanced by an underlying mineral streak” – Paragon Vintners, London £28.04
Costieres de Nimes AC Chateau Mourgues du Gres, Fleur d’Eglantine 2005 from the southern Rhone/Provence/Languedoc border – a rose from Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault and Carignan “blackcurrant and raspberry notes in a full-bodied style” Gauntleys of Nottingham £7.99
Canard-Duchene Charles VII Champagne a delicate deluxe cuvee .. praline, grilled nuts and honeycomb aromas…elegantly dry..deliciously refreshing tang….evolved toasty flavours.Majestic £19.99 o4 £13.99 if you buy 2 or more.

BBC2 wine tour of France

John — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 07:28:58 +0000

Can you teach one of the lads to appreciate wine? Well, the enthusiasm of Oz Clarke must stand a chance you would think – he is knowledgeable, articulate and distinctly non-snobby about wine; but when the “lad” is James May from BBC2’s Top Gear, then the prospects diminish.
BBC2 starts a 5-week series “Big Wine Adventure” on Wednesday 22 November 2006 (8pm on Wednesdays until 20 December) and attempts to introduce James to the joys of Bordeaux, Languedoc, Provence, Rhone, Alsace, Burgundy and Champagne during a month’s tour of France. As with much TV these days, I cynically expect that James will play to the camera and seek to maintain a laddish disdain for the finer points – and the interplay between the two characters and some stunning scenery will dominate.Will he or anyone else learn much? I doubt it!
However, despite my Bah! Humbug! response, it should make entertaining TV and I welcome more exposure for France and French wines – and yes I will watch it!
For more info see www.bbc.co.uk
Majestic Wine Warehouses and Majestic Online
have a good selection of French wines if you want to follow the journey!

Christmas Wine Sale at Yapp Brothers

John — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 06:44:22 +0000

Yapp Brothers‘ Christmas Sale takes place at their premises in Mere, Wiltshire on Friday 24th and Saturday 25th November 2006.
Now this is how an independent wine merchant should be – with a raft of interesting and some lesser-known wines from hidden corners of France!
The former dentist’s main specialisation is in the Loire and Rhône (North and South), but also includes good selections from Languedoc, South West, Savoie etc. So on his list you will discover excellent Bandol (mourvedre-dominated red from Provence) Lirac from the superb Domaine Maby in the southern Rhône, superb Jurancon Sec from Domaine Bellegarde; Collioure from Roussillon; Thouarsais and Saint Pourcain from the Loire – I could go on and on!
Their Christmas Offers list is available now.

For more info see www.yapp.co.uk

Pinot Noir festival in Alsace

John — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 06:37:21 +0000

Although predominantly associated with fine white wines such as Riesling and Gewurztraminer, Alsace also produces red wine from the Pinot Noir, the Burgundy grape.
Pinot Noir tends to flourish in the slightly cooler climes, which is why you’ll seldom find it in the Languedoc. It tends to be more of a dark rosé in colour, and cheap examples can be a bit thin – so it is not necessarily the best wine to come out of Alsace.
However, you can get a chance to try some out at the Pinot Noir Festival in Rodern (68 Haut Rhin, Alsace-Lorraine) 15/16 July 2006- see map. The village is on the Alsace Wine route – and even has a “rue du Pinot Noir”!
see www.alsace-route-des-vins.com

Alternative Tour de France

John — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 09:12:55 +0000

Yes the Official Tour de France is underway for 2006 – and unfortunately overshadowed by drug scandals and the withdrawal of most of the main contenders from last year. To be fair though, this is not a particularly French problem, but as the Tour de France is the biggest cycling event in the world, it does focus attention.
But then not everyone is keen on the Tour de France and the accompanying ballyhoo – the best thing to do is to follow it a few days later and enjoy some of the places the pass through in rather more peace and tranquility.
The Tour starts this year in Strasbourg, and on Sunday 2 July it passes through the northern part of the Alsace vineyard. Good cycling territory being quite hilly – and hence good for vines. Many of the villages are typically picture-book Alsatian – timber framed buildings with alpine roofs – really very attractive. The best wines tend to be a bit further south (around Riquewihr, Colmar) although Barr and Bergheim have some top producers. Our recommendation is Emile Boeckel at Mittelbergheim, just south of the Tour route.

The other Tour de France underway is the Tour de France à Voile – the sailing Tour de France which cast off in Dunkerque and will head for Saint-Quay Portrieux – Côtes d’Armor (Brittany) by the weekend of 8/9 July 2006 by way of Dieppe and Le Havre – for more info see www.tourvoile.fr

Alsace Wine Route

John — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 06:19:49 +0000

Most of the significant wine regions in France have a signposted “route du vin” (see the new wine route in the Cher departement for example), but probably one of the best is the ALSACE WINE ROUTE which runs from just south of Strasbourg (67 Bas-Rhiin, Alsace-Lorraine) southwards to the village of Thann (68 Haut-Rhin, Alsace-Lorraine) by way of all the major wine villages and towns (Obernai, Barr, Bergheim, Ribeauvillé, Riquewihr, Colmar, Pfaffenheim etc).
It is one of the best because a) the route is really pretty, offering copious choice of vineyards and attractive timber-clad village houses and b) it is well-signposted throughout its 170km ( over 100miles) length,
French signposting must be one of the dark arts designed to confuse and dumbfound the visitor – so often it all starts well, only for the signs to virtually disappear after a few kilmotres – they are either missing (through malice or oversight) or obscure placement. However, in Alsace, perhaps due to the Germanic element in their genes, things seem better organised and efficient. These routes are designed and managed by the local Syndicat des Vins, with winemakers contributing to the cost of the signage and other publicity. The local tourist office will have a map of the route with details of the vineyards and opening times for each winemaker. As a general rule look our for signs such as “Degustation” (tastings), “Vins Vrac et Détail” (Wines in bulk and retail) – almost all vineyards welcome visitors, and ask little more than for you to treat them and their wines with a little respect – there is no obligation to buy. In Alsace in particular you should not avoid the co-operative wine cellars – they often produce excellent wines, but the surroundings maybe a little less cosy than at individual growers.
Alsace also scores by extending the Wine Route idea with a series of vineyard walking trails – again well sign-posted and documented – so you can explore particular “terroirs” with a self-guided tour and get up close to the vines (except around harvest time). Most of the walks take about an hour – and there are also regular guided walks which will tell you more about the wines. For more info see www.vinsalsace.com
Particular recommendations for visits would be Mittelbergheim (Vins Boeckel), Ribeauvillé, Riquewihr (some of the very best producers such as Hugel) and Colmar with its canals,

Alsace revisited

John — Wed, 17 May 2006 06:13:42 +0000

When we started our wine business in 1987 we had less than a dozen wines on our list – but it did feature Alsace wines from Emile Boeckel in Mittelbergheim (67 Bas Rhin, Alsace) – a traditional independent winemaker who has made some stunning wines – see www.boeckel-alsace.com/

The main cellars run underneath the impossibly quaint house in the picturesque village north of Colmar. We enjoyed one of our first serious tastings on a cold wet March morning in 1988 and were generously entertained and educated by Emile himself.

I have always enjoyed Alsace wines – but they are notoriously difficult to sell in the UK – known in the trade as the “wine merchant’s wine”. Perhaps its the germanic bottle shape, names and gothic lettering which dissuades customers – but these are so different from the German wines just the other side of the Rhine river. They are dry and crisp for the most part, with an extraordinary depth of flavour. The Riesling is probably shown at its best in Alsace, with steely mineral character unmatched elsewhere.

Gewurztraminer is also an Alsace speciality – so very different from the Riesliing – perfumed, aromatic and spicy – a bit of an acquired taste but such a contrast to the normal run of Chardonnay and Sauvignon – excellent with spicy food – and also as a Vendange Tardive – a late harvest dessert wine with such intensity.

Alsace is also unique in France in allowing/requiring the grape variety to be on the label as part of the appellation – so you’ll find Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Tokay/Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc,Sylvaner, Muscat and Pinot Noir. There is also the “Edlezwicker” which is a blend of grape varieties – seldom very exciting.

Alsace also has its own Grand Cru – e.g. Boeckel has a Gewurztraminer Zotzenberg Grand Cru – which implies that the grapes come from a specified plot of land officially recognised as consistently producing top class wines – usually parts of well-drained hillsides with good aspect to the sun.

One wine we had great success with was the Crémant d’Alsace – a sparkling wine made from Pinot Blanc.

UK stockist for Boeckel wines is Sandhams Wine Merchants in Caistor, Lincs

However, one problem with Alsace wines is that other than Edelzwicker prices start quite high (usually about £5.99 for a decent bottle), despite the area having a large number of co-operative cellars – however this is one region where some of the best wines come from Co-operatives, e,g, Pfaffenheim

For more on Alsace wines see www.vinsalsace.com

The region is well worth visiting, despite being something off the beaten track for most of the rest of France – great landscapes, pretty villages, the Rhine Valley and the Vosges mountains – and plenty of vineyards to visit! Despite being relatively far north the region enjoys one of the highest numbers of sunny days in France!
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Illhauesern Beer Festival – 6 May 06

John — Wed, 19 Apr 2006 06:13:42 +0000

Alsace, as well as being one of France’s classic wine regions is also home to some major breweries – particularly in and around Strasbourg. Despite, or maybe because of their history, this confluence on French and German influences across the Rhine valley has cross-fertilised ideas and traditions. These tend to be light beers or lagers, which are refreshing but seldom very interesting – so the Beer Festival should be a great opportunity to see other styles of beer from the region.
On 6 May 2006 Illhausern celebrates its Beer Festival (see www.ribeauville-riquewihr.com
- close to some of the main Alsace vineyards north of Colmar, and also the location of a well-recommended restaurant – Auberge de l’Ill (The Ill being the river from which the village gets its name). The region is very pretty with picturesque villages of timbered houses interspersed with vineyards – the region gets a surprisingly high amount of annual sunshine, which is very important for the vines – and the whole area should be at its most attractive in early May.
Dorling Kindersley (DK)’s Eyewitness French Travel Guide provides really useful information and advice for the traveller in France –
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Grand Cru Alsace wines under screwcap

John — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 06:35:24 +0000

Andrew at www.spittoon.biz has unearthed a story about Alsace wine producer Paul Blanck at Kientzheim (68 Haut Rhin, Alsace), and his adoption of screwcaps rather than cork closures for his top of the range Grand Cru wines.
The story is interesting because Alsace generally has a reputation for being one of the less-adventurous wine regions in France – producing some excellent, if sometimes pricey wines – but an area which holds on to its tradtions with determination. Perhaps it has to do with the history of the region and having successively been French then German and then French again and again. Their retention of the germanic fluted bottle and in many cases germanic typefaces on labels does not help to distinguish their undeniably great wines from the often disappointing wines across the Rhine in Germany. It is also an area which is quite geographically isolated from most of the other main wine-producing regions of France – as you would discover if you visited. It is a truly beautiful area, with a surprising level of annual sunshine hours – plenty of quaint villages , impressive hillsides and superb wines.
Paul Blanck however has been brave and innovative, not least because his main market, which is France is generaly more resistant than the rest of the world to the loss of the cork. True, I enjoy the frisson of excitement that comes with pulling a cork – drama and expectation which is missing with the screwcap. But as Paul Blanck says “I have never seen wine improved by corks, but too often wine ruined by corks.”. Paul Blancks Alsace wines are available in the UK from Adnams and
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