Alsace Riesling

Riesling has an ability to express the unique character of the sites where it is grown and so it is worth knowing not only the grape variety, and the producer, but also where it comes from.

At the most basic, many wines will simply be labelled AOC Alsace, but as you climb the quality ladder you will find the mention of specific ‘Communes’ (small regions and towns) or even ‘Lieux-dits’ (named sites) that get ever more precise.

At the pinnacle, there are 51 ‘Grands Crus’ vineyards throughout the region that will usually be identified on the label. Although only established in local wine laws as recently as 1975, the very best of these vineyard sites have always been known to the local winemakers. Riesling grown on these sites can make some of the very best wines in the world and is therefore worth seeking out. Look out for the Grand Cru names Schlossberg, Schoenenbourg and Rosacker.

While the sun, water and soil of a vineyard are all important for the development of the fruit, there is another feature that is incredibly important in the development of the finest Rieslings – rot. But not just any rot or mould, but ‘noble rot’, or Botrytis. This is a fungal growth that might look bad, but, in the right conditions, actually adds to the complexity of the grape juice that ultimately becomes wine. The mould doesn’t destroy the fruit, it grows on the skin and consumes the water in the grape, leaving behind a higher concentration of natural sugar.

Alsace Riesling takes its time to mature fully, even with the warmer weather of Alsace. This means grapes can sometimes be left on the vine beyond the point of simply having lots of sugar, so some grapes experience this transformation, giving the wines greater concentration of tropical fruit and marmalade notes. As they age, they also develop aromas of beeswax and leather, a unique and intoxicatingly complex character.

Grapes harvested several weeks after the normal harvest can be labelled Vendanges Tardives (or ‘late harvest’). This extra maturity greatly enhances the concentration of grapefruit-like citrus and honey in the wine. This results in wines that are rich, full of natural sugar but are balanced by the natural freshness and high level of acidity of the Alsatian Riesling. In the best examples, the obvious sweetness of their youth gives way to a pithy, complex and very elegant wine that, after some years, actually tastes less ‘sweet’.

When there is enough botrytis in a vineyard, wines can be made exclusively from these grapes. This requires very careful picking and wine making, and these wines are aptly called Sélection de Grains Nobles (SGN or ‘selection of noble grapes’). These are fantastically concentrated wines, often with a core of red apple, ripe mandarin and peach fruit, grapefruit marmalade and honey, and always with a zippy acidity that freshens the palate while the flavours mingle and dance for what seems like an age. These wonderful wines can be kept for decades and will continue to improve with age.

Young zesty Rieslings pair extremely well with any dish that tastes like it has just come out of the sea – oysters, scallops, mussels and more. The saline note and the lime freshness combine like a blast of sea air.

More rounded Rieslings are amazingly versatile, matching everything from salty pork dishes with rich sauerkraut, or freshening up white meats in rich sauces that would just absorb red wines, or bring out the tangy citrus in Thai and Asian-cuisine dishes with aromatic and citric herbs.

Vendange Tardive styles match complex cuisines because they complement so many styles, so match them with hot, spicy Thai meals that combine spicy, salty and rich foods together.

Sélection de Grains Nobles is supreme as a wine to savour on its own, but it can work well with sweet and creamy desserts, especially with a hint of ‘brûlé’, like tarts or crème brûlée, that help to make the honey notes in the wine balance the charred notes. Delicious!

On a savoury note, both the Vendange Tardive and Sélection de Grains Nobles wines also go very well with blue cheese.

In her excellent book on Vinalogy (wine analogies), Helena Nicklin personifies the Riesling grape as Claudia Schiffer, ‘in a tight, lime dress and rubber wellies’. It makes sense – she has the looks, the freshness and the exuberance. But if Claudia represents the lime and green apple freshness of the grape, the Alsace version is a little different.

Alsace Riesling is the elegant duchess who has the model’s attractive looks, but also the elegant poise of French nobility. While models change their style and look to suit their patrons, the Duchess doesn’t have days off and dresses for her part whatever the occasion. This is not dressed-up presentation, but the self-assured elegance that puts others at ease, whoever they are.

Alsace Riesling is special, it knows it is, and we like it that way.