Alsace wine: a beginner's guide

There are certain parts of the world that are intrinsically linked with winemaking. Bordeaux, Marlborough and Champagne are all regions that instantly make us think of rich reds, fruity whites and crisp sparkling wines. But one lesser-known region that’s home to just as much heritage and quality than these vinous heavyweights is Alsace. With a huge variety of styles, bottles meant to be drunk young, vintages which sit in cellars for years and wines perfect for nearly every occasion, it’s an incredible place for anyone even remotely interested in wine. Read on to learn more about the most common styles of wines made in Alsace, what foods they go with and when to enjoy them.

First made over a century ago, Crémant d’Alsace is an AOC-protected sparkling wine using the same traditional methods as Champagne and is the bestselling AOC sparkling wine (excluding Champagne) in France. Over 500 wineries in the region now produce Crémant, which comes in a variety of styles. Most taste fresh and dry with buttery and tropical fruit flavours, and they’re perfect for toasting a celebration, serving with canapés, or to be simply enjoyed on their own.

Gewurz means ‘spicy’ in Alsatian, which perfectly sums up these bold, lively wines. They’re the style of wine most associated with the region and the eponymous grape used to make them grows particularly well in the area. The most common flavours are rose, lychee and ginger, which makes Gewurztraminer a little bit different from the average white wine, and it can stand up to even the most strongly flavoured food. It goes particularly well with Asian cuisine – everything from Indian and Chinese to Thai and Malaysian – which can sometimes be difficult to pair with other styles of wine.

While these are both styles of wine found all over the world, in Alsace they develop some unique characteristics. Pinot Blanc grapes are used to make sparkling Crémant, but when used for still wine the style becomes fresh, floral and easy to drink. This makes it perfect for almost any occasion, particularly when you’re entertaining guests and need something that’ll please all palates.

Pinot Gris is slightly more varied, with a golden hue and, depending on how old it is, more unique and complex flavours. As it ages, flavours of tropical fruits become more and more prominent along with musky, richer notes. This is a wine for a special occasion – save it for a memorable dinner party and serve it towards the end of the meal to round it off perfectly. The flavours of wine also make it a perfect match dishes with mushrooms such as risotto, white meats and particularly veal.