A variety of wines and foods of Alsace

Domaine Josmeyer
Tasted Sunday, June 10, 2018 by PanosKakaviatos with 193 views

Introduction

A lovely evening tasting delicious wine and food from Alsace, at Domaine Josmeyer. The theme? Les diVINes d’Alsace: Women winemakers, oenologists, competition organizers, wine merchants and sommeliers. All committed to the success of #Alsace wines. And some very talented producers. The wines were paired with different themed foods. For example the late harvest with some delectable desserts and the Muscats with asparagus.

Flight 1 - Starting with Pinot Blanc (1 Note)

Some 36 properties took part in this event - DiVINes d'Alsace - held at Domaine Josmeyer near Colmar. The wines were divided along with foods, so the appetizer section with charcuterie and mini Kougelhopf included several Pinot Blancs and Sylvaners. I only tasted one of them, as I was running a bit late.

Flight 2 - Muscat Love (3 Notes)

This section featured many Muscats sweet and dry, served with an absolutely delicious white asparagus and elderberry mousseline. Also a mini veggie tart.

Flight 3 - A couple of dry Pinot Gris and the theme Alsace Fish (2 Notes)

The potato and herring and the trout rillette went well with these wines.

  • 2014 Josmeyer Pinot Gris Le Fromenteau 91 Points

    France, Alsace

    After a few other dry Pinot Gris, this impressed me with a slight reductive note but showing much density and character on the palate. Dry and yet rather full bodied. Salinity, too, as the vintage is fresh and higher in acidity than, say, 2015. And the label is really pretty. Go for it!

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  • 2013 Louis Sipp Pinot Gris Kirchberg de Ribeauvillé 88 Points

    France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru

    The floral aromatics beguile you. The palate is soft and supple. While it lacks the grip and focus of the Le Fromenteau by Josmeyer, tasted just before, it is an appealing wine.

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Flight 4 - Interlude with "Alsace meats" (1 Note)

Several rich wines, but I only tried one. It went well with the veal and pork dish.

  • 2017 Zeyssolff Klevener de Heiligenstein 89 Points

    France, Alsace, Klevener de Heiligenstein

    This was one of several wines for the "meats" section of the soirée. The mini Fleischanacka was very tasty! I should have tried the meat pie, but I need to be careful about my weight. I digress. This is a very good example of a the Savagnin Rose grape. The nearly 14 grams of residual sugar are very well integrated, and one gets a spicy delivery with charm and ripe fruit, as well as freshness. Bravo!

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Flight 5 - Choucroute time with Riesling (3 Notes)

By the time we got to this section, I drank some water first and avoided the choucroute. It has been rather hot in Alsace these last few days.

  • 2012 Domaine Muré Crémant d'Alsace Pinot Noir Brut Millesime Grande Reserve 92 Points

    France, Alsace, Crémant d'Alsace

    Tasted with Neil Beckett of the World of Fine Wine and we both found it impressive for the depth as well as the quality and finesse of the bubbles. There is some unresolved oak perhaps, but a lovely bubbly, méthode traditionnelle, that would fit the needs of a gastronomic palate.

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  • 2014 J.B. Adam Riesling Alsace Letzenberg 92 Points

    France, Alsace

    I took much pleasure from this high altitude terroir that may one day be considered "premier cru" in Alsace - as the campaign to introduce premiers cru terroirs continues. The vines here average 45 years of age, just one hectare of vines, mostly Riesling but some Pinot Gris in the vineyard. This bottle is only Riesling, with fine concentration yet also vivacious and energetic. Seek this 2014 out!

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  • 2014 Meyer-Fonné Riesling Wineck-Schlossberg 92 Points

    France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru

    Tasted along with the Riesling Letzenberg by Domaine JB Adam, this wine rivals the Adam with similar positive traits: density, depth, tension on the palate, with lift on the finish. Another successful 2014 from Riesling in Alsace.

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Flight 6 - Several Pinot Noirs (3 Notes)

I tried six but these three were the best. No food here, save for some fine French bread.

  • 2016 Armand Hurst Pinot Noir 88 Points

    France, Alsace

    Part of a series of Pinot Noirs tasted at this fun evening of Divine d'Alsace: all women winemakers. This 2016 vintage is designated as "Terroir B" coming from the famous Brand vineyard, and it has much appeal! Subtle density, smooth tannin and depth.

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  • 2015 Domaine Henri Schoenheitz Pinot Noir Linsenberg 91 Points

    France, Alsace

    This may be the best Pinot Noir from Alsace that I can recall tasting. Just two barrels of the stuff, so about 600 bottles. Tomorrow at the trade show, I will try other reds from this domain, as 18% of its production goes to red, and this particular wine is very small production. The vines are not that old - about 15 years (as opposed to the 45 year old vines at Armand Hurst, tasted before). But the vines are trained to be lower to the ground, to get as much of the heat from the stony surface - granite - as possible. Full south exposure on very high elevation terroir, about 450 meters above sea. One gets the impression of superb ripeness, almost jam like, but with fine structure and balance. Bravo!

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  • 2015 Marcel Deiss Burlenberg 88 Points

    France, Alsace

    Impressive substance to this wine, density to be sure, but it seems to be a bit austere, almost too much so. Could it be in just a phase? I am not sure. It lacks the sumptuousness of the Schoenheitz Linsenberg of the same vintage, but it does delivery "matière" ... give it time.

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Flight 7 - Cheese and wine (4 Notes)

This was a great setting, with Alsatian cheeses paired with some fine wines.

Flight 8 - Late harvest later in the evening (2 Notes)

Next to the live jazz band, the last stand featured some really delicious desserts but I did not try any... as late harvest Alsace wines are sweet enough ;-)

Closing

All in all, this tasting showed me how good 2014 Alsace white can be, how Pinot Noir in Alsace remains hit or miss, with some hits beauties, and how great it is to combine local foods with locals wines: perhaps the highlight of the tasting was the cheese and wine pairing room.

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