Anyone who hated geography at school, I’ve got a tip for you: Get into wine and head round the world.
All the geology, river ways, oxbow lakes, and climatic patterns all matter big time. There isn’t a wine region worth its salt that doesn’t someway speak of its intrinsic ‘terroir’, including the maritime Bordeaux and cool continental Burgundy.
But tucked up in the North East of France, and for centuries jostling between French and German ownership, is one of the driest and sunniest regions in the country; Alsace. Protected from rain clouds by the Vosges mountains, this region is home to arguably the best aromatic white wines in France, if not the world, with Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Gewurztraminer ruling the roost and consistently ripening to an absolute treat.
It’s also argued that some of the best value in the world of fine wine is Alsace’s Grand Cru vineyards. Geological movements around the Rhine basin for millions of years had left Alsace with one of the most complex patchworks of soil structures of any wine region on the planet, and the winemakers have spent centuries picking their favourite spots for making the perfect balance of fresh and complex, fruity and mineral.
We’ve got a couple of absolute belters from top end biodynamic producer, Domaine Zind Humbrecht, from their Rangen De Thann Grand Cru site for you to have a try through online now, both having smashed it with the world’s wine critics.
Head over to www.20h33.co.uk and enjoy!
Santé