| If you are looking for fine French wine and food, | | | | and review are purchased at the full retail price. |
| consider the Alsace region of northeastern France. | | | | Wine Reviewed Trimbach Pinot Blanc 2004 12.5% |
| You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have | | | | alcohol about $13.50 |
| fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we | | | | Let's start by quoting the marketing materials. |
| review a local white Pinot Blanc wine. | | | | Tasting Note Straw colour; apple, pear fruit aromas |
| Alsace ranks tenth out of the eleven French | | | | with light biscuit and citrus tones; medium- to |
| winemaking regions in terms of vineyard area. Don't | | | | full-bodied with ripe peachy flavours and a clean, |
| be fooled by the numbers; Alsace is a major | | | | zesty finish. Serving Suggestion Smoked salmon, |
| producer of quality French wine. Its wine growing | | | | shellfish or asparagus in hollandaise sauce. Alsatian |
| area is only about 60 miles (100 kilometers) long, and | | | | Pinot Gris is becoming increasingly fashionable, and |
| at the most a mere 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) wide | | | | this example illustrates why. Honeyed fruit aromas, |
| nestled between the Vosges Mountains to the east | | | | such as peach and pear, plus a texture of smoke and |
| and the Rhine River and Germany to the west. But | | | | mineral seduce in this just off-dry white that's, round, |
| this relatively tiny area is known for distinctive wines. | | | | soft and quite rich. The producer recommends this as |
| Their wine bottles are also distinctive; tall and thin | | | | a good substitute for red wine with meat dishes such |
| with labels that feature the grape variety, not the | | | | as cold cuts, roast beef or game. They also suggest |
| usual practice in France. Chaptalization (adding sugar | | | | pairing it with smoked chicken, fish or lobster. And |
| to the fermenting grape mixture) is allowed for many | | | | now for the review. |
| wine categories. | | | | My first meal consisted of a commercially prepared |
| About 95% of Alsace wine is white. The major white | | | | chicken breast with the skin on (more calories, more |
| grape varieties are Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Pinot | | | | flavor), potato salad, and a spicy salad based on |
| Gris, and Riesling. Secondary white grape varieties | | | | tomatoes, red pepper and garlic. The wine was |
| include Pinot Blanc, reviewed below, Sylvaner, and | | | | refreshingly acidic and somewhat fruity. I finished |
| Muscat. The major red grape variety is Pinot Noir, | | | | with fresh pineapple. This combination was quite |
| reviewed in a companion article in this series. | | | | good; the pineapple's fruit flavors and the wine's fruit |
| Colmar is an Alsatian town pretty well in the middle | | | | flavors melded well, and seemed to intensify each |
| of the Alsatian wine villages. Go there if you don't like | | | | other. |
| rain; given its proximity to the Vosges Mountains, | | | | I then paired the Pinot Blanc with a reheated |
| Colmar is the driest town in all of France. This city of | | | | home-cooked chicken leg in a tomato-based sauce |
| about sixty-five thousand was founded in the Ninth | | | | with beets and more of the above potato salad. The |
| Century. In spite of the fact that Colmar was largely | | | | wine scored as in the first round, but was more |
| destroyed in both World Wars, its old town (Vieille | | | | assertively fruity including the taste of pears. I am |
| Ville) remains worthy of a visit. Some say that it's | | | | not used to a Pinot Blanc wine being so present, and |
| more interesting than Strasbourg. You really should | | | | I like this change. |
| visit both and decide for yourself. Among Colmar's | | | | My last meal consisted of a cheeseless broccoli, |
| sights are the St-Martin church constructed from the | | | | mushroom, and zucchini quiche and mashed potatoes. |
| Thirteenth to the Sixteenth Centuries, the Ancienne | | | | While the wine was powerful and quite fruity, it did |
| Douane (Old Customs House), and the Maison aux | | | | come up short. |
| Arcades (Arcades House). | | | | The first cheese was a French goat's milk cheese |
| Ribeauville is the home of Trimbach wines and has | | | | that really seemed more like a Camembert. At the |
| been since 1626. In spite of its size, under five | | | | first sips the cheese sort of cut off the wine. Later |
| thousand, it has a bit of everything: ancient town | | | | the results were somewhat better; the wine was |
| walls, Gothic churches, storybook medieval houses, ,a | | | | moderately acidic and somewhat fruity. Then I went |
| town hall peppered with antiques, and a spring. | | | | for a Swiss Gruyere with a lightly sharp, nutty flavor. |
| Nearby are the ruins of three castles. And the first | | | | This combination was even better; the Pinot Blanc |
| Sunday in September, Ribeauville hosts a major | | | | came out nice and fruity. |
| Minstrel Show. | | | | I usually don't go with a non-imported cheese when |
| Before reviewing the Alsatian wine and imported | | | | tasting wines. However, I am making an exception |
| cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at | | | | for a Canadian Asiago cheese that our local |
| a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here | | | | supermarket almost never carries. I think that this is |
| are a few suggestions of what to eat with | | | | the best cheese I have tasted in quite a while; in my |
| indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. | | | | opinion it clearly surpasses its Italian Asiago cousin. |
| Start with Foie Gras (Goose or Duck Liver). For your | | | | When I like a cheese that good, I really want to try |
| second course savor Baeckeoffe (Meat and Potato | | | | it with wine. The result wasn't disappointing; this gem |
| Casserole). And as dessert indulge yourself with | | | | intensified the wine's fruit and acidity. |
| Gateau Chasseur (Almond Cake with Raspberries and | | | | Final verdict. There is no doubt in my mind, this wine |
| Meringue). | | | | is a winner. And the price is reasonable to boot. |
| OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste | | | | |