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