2009 Riesling Grand Cru Schlossberg, Jean-Marc et Frédéric Bernhard

All vintages of Alsace are very different. The reason  for the variations are obviously the weather, but mainly that quality producers do not manipulate their wines. If you harvest early, use standardized yeast, adjust the wine with acid or base, and use lots of sulfur the wines come out alike - and equally boring - year after year. 2009 vintage yielded wines that initially lacked elegance and had some bitterness. After 5 years, they have "come home" and finally developed a fine balance, even if the style will never be classic. But good.

2009 Riesling Grand Cru Schlossberg from Jean-Marc et Frédéric Bernhard in Katzenthal has a golden color. The aroma is rich and saturated with coffee, arrack, orange, ripe pineapple and peach puree. The palate is medium-bodied, powerful, somewhat hot and rich with sandy roughness, good acidity and very good balance. A wine with a substantial volume that manages to maintain its' equilibrium. Price: € 13.

Crémant Rosé, Jean-Marc et Frédéric Bernard

During Christmas, warm spicy wine stands in contrast to the French tradition to drink champagne. An excellent compromise is to drink Crémant Rosé, a delicious andd refreshing drink made from Pinot Noir. The wine is also part of a larger trend in Alsace, which is to make increasingly sophisticated Crémant on individual grapes (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir), drier styles (zéro dosage) and more and more single vintage editions.

Crémant Rosé (2011) by Jean-Marc et Frédéric Bernhard in Katzenthal is lovely salmon pink. The aroma is very fruity with ripe cherry, a splash of strawberries and a touch of toast. The palate is balanced and round with fresh acids that carries a some seductive sweetness (10 grams of residual sugar per liter). Delicious! Price: € 8.50.

Crémant, Jean-Marc Bernard

Crémant from Alsace is getting better and better. The raw material has historically consisted of still wine from Pinot Blanc and Auxerrois, but now Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are increasingly  used for France's most drunken sparkling wine. Chardonnay provides a lovely acid that allows long bottle aging and lees sur lattes. With bottle storage up to three years before degorgement producers such as Bernhard, Mader and Sorg make serious sparkling wine with lovely volume and mouth feel. The sugar added can scarcely be perceived.

Crémant from Jean-Marc Bernhard offers a fresh nose with brioche, yellow apples, quince and mineral. In the mouth, the wine has a fine mousse that does not feel bubbly. The palate is medium bodied, with lovely fruit, a lively acidity on the tongue and a rich aftertaste with a hint of grapefruit zest in the finish. The balance between volume and acidity make it a perfect match for food. Moreover, it is ridiculously cheap! Price: € 6.80.

2007 Pinot Gris Dorfburg, Meyer Fonné

Dorfburg is lieu-dit that is located equidistant from Ingersheim, Katzenthal, Turkheim and Niedermorschwihr. The bedrock the Jurassic and contains round, quite soft particles built up of concentric layers of limestone. It is called oolitic - egg-shaped - limestone. The rock weathers to a calcareous but not heavy clay. It is perfect terroir for Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer that become fresh, firm and full.

2007 Pinot Gris Dorfburg from Meyer-Fonné in Katzenthal is bright yellow. The fragrance is developed and absolutely clean with notes of dark chocolate, figs, oranges and toasted almonds. The palate is dense yet light, but a great acidity that supports the discrete residual sweetness and creates lovely balance and harmony. You never get enough of the wines from Meyer-Fonné! Price: € 12.50.

2008 Pinot Gris Terrasses Hinterburg, J-M Bernhard

In Katzenthal there are two lieux-dits that are easily confused: Hinterberg which is wedged inside Katzenthal, and Hinterburg which lies along the road from Katzenthal to Turckhiem. Both teroirs are very steep, and also relatively clayey even though they are on the granite (mica), and both are perfectly suited for Pinot Gris. Thanks to the good but not extreme exposure and medium-warm soil the grapes ripen without losing acidity. 


2008 Pinot Gris Terrasses Hinterburg from J-M Bernhard in Katzenthal smells of apricots, smoke and fresh mushrooms. The taste is just over medium bodied with embedded sweetness that is more than balanced by the lively, ripe acidity and a great backbone. Definitely deserves its 15/20 from La Revue du Vin de France. Price: € 8.

Riesling Grand Cru Wineck-Schlossberg, Meyer-Fonné

With respect to the Grands Crus of Alsace, there is certainly a premier, second and third division. In this hierarchy, no one is making a more rapid climb than Wineck-Schlossberg. This unrivalled development is due to the skill and dedication of (relatively) young producers such as  Meyer-Fonné, Bernhard and Klur, all in Katzenthal. To addition to this group, others such as the likes of Paul Blanck and  J.B. Adam make a very important contribution to the reputation of W-S.

2008 Riesling Grand Cru Wineck-Schlossberg from Meyer-Fonné in Katzenthal has superbly clean aromas of almonds, mango, smoke and minerals. The taste is medium-bodied, generous, and succulent with loads of mature fruit in addition to wonderful acidity and structure that leads to an extraordinary finish. My gosh!  Price: € 13,50.

2004 Riesling Grand Cru Wineck-Schlossberg, Clément Klur

In recent years, Grand Cru Wineck-Schlossberg in the small village Katzenthal has earned better and better reputation thanks to ambitious producers such as Clément Klur, Meyer-Fonné, Jean-Marc Bernard and Paul Blanck. On Wineck Riesling dominates overall, and because the terroir does not favour botrytis, the wines are crystalline, fresh and classic.

2004 Riesling Grand Cru Schlossberg-Wineck has an elegant, relatively open nose, with hints of herbs (oregano), candied lemons and green apples. The taste is smooth even though it is tight and balanced, with high acidity and a long fine aftertaste. Excellent with oysters! Price: €12.

2007 Riesling Grand Cru Wineck-Schlossberg, Jean-Marc & Frédéric Bernhard

The scientific research on wine has revealed the chemical compounds which give certain aromatic characteristics of white wines. For instance, the characteristic smell of "petroleum" is caused by 1,1,6-trimethyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalen, a derivative of carotene also known as TDN. The scent of citrus and ginger, however, come largely from 3,7-dimethyl-2-octen-1-ol, a typical commercially available component that is widely used in perfumes. But still, it will take long until one can identify what lies behind the character of "minerality", you know where the hard, salty, fresh and dry lingering feeling in the mouth when drinking fine Riesling.

2007 Riesling Grand Cru Schlossberg-Wineck has a generous aroma of warm apples, cloves and sweet flowers. The taste is fruity, supple, rich and already complex with a minerality that remains half hour in the aftertaste. Wonderful and almost for free. Price: € 10.

2005 Muscat Grand Cru Wineck-Schlossberg, Vincent Spannagel

Katzenthal has 21 wine producers, all small and several quality conscious. Here, the prices are low, the doors are open and the hospitality unsurpassed. Vincent Spannagel is the only producer that offers a Muscat from the cool granite of Wineck-Schlossberg, made from wines of Muscat Ottonel and Muscat d'Alsace planted as lateliqourish as in the year 2000.

2005 Muscat Grand Cru Wineck-Schlossberg has a big, striking aroma of crushed grapes, mint, apples and liquerish. The taste is mouthfilling with plenty with a lot of substance, clean and fresh acidity, and a touch of bitterness (from Muscat d'Alsace) that adds character to the wine. A wine that proves that for Muscat, 1+1=3. Price: € 10.

2004 Muscat, Jean-Marc Bernhard

Alsace Muscat is fresh but fruity, dry but supple. It feels natural all the way, and matches salads and veggie dishes perfectly.

2004 Muscat from Jean-Marc Bernhard in Katzenthal has melon and almonds on the nose, while the tast adds spices such ginger, anis, cloves and a hint of bitterness. Price: €7.

Crémant d'Alsace, Clément Klur

Crémant is an underrated wine at the table. Made according to métode Champenoise, but employing less chaptalization and other tricks, it is perfect match for white meats and fish.

Crémant d'Alsace from Clément Klur offers almonds, vanilla and oranges on the nose. The taste is medium-light bodied and dry with pure, silky acids and a slight bitterness that adds character. Price: €8.50.