Boxler 2004 Alsace Grand Cru Riesling Sommerberg VT Zacharie .5L

Boxler, Albert 2009 Alsace Grand Cru Sommerberg "E"

Brand, Charles & Philippe 2016 Alsace La Chimere Blanc

This is a beautiful expression of Riesling, in many ways a bit raw and peculiar, but very much alive  and well worth exploring. There is some reduction on opening, and a faint tingle on the tongue, so we recommend a long decant if possible. The minerality of the wine is refreshing and crunchy. A unique (and totally clean) unfiltered, no SO2 Riesling from the promising young winemaker, Philippe Brand.

Brand, Charles & Philippe 2016 Alsace Tout Terriblement

Tout Terriblement is all Gewurztraminer from Philippe Brand, an up and coming winemaker in Alsace, whose family domaine is about 20 minutes west of Strasbourg. Though we don't have the analysis in front of us, my guess is that there are somewhere between 1-3 grams of residual sugar here, giving it a ripe fruitiness, and making it a very worthy pairing for asian cuisines and food with a bit of spice. The nose is classic Gewurztraminer, though a bit dialed back on the spice/white pepper notes. A really pleasant wine.    EL

Brand, Charles et Philippe 2015 Alsace Fleurs

80% Pinot Gris and 20% Riesling from Philippe Brand in Alsace. There's a delicate floral aroma here, and plenty of orchard fruit on the nose (apples and pears). Ripe, with long mineral finish and a subtle oxidative lean, it should be a welcome addition to a Thanksgiving meal - flavorful enough to stand up to all of that food, and with plenty of acidity to cleanse the palate!   EL

Frick 2017 Alsace Auxerrois Pur Vin

100% Pinot Auxerrois from Pierre and Chantal Frick. There's subtle white stone fruit on the nose, with sharp acidity balanced by a soft, fruity character in the mid-palate.    EL

Jean Ginglinger 2016 Alsace BIHL

Bihl is a blend of 70% Riesling with 30% Sylvaner. There's an ample amount of minerality here, which plays beautifully with the salinity and precise dryness that are a hallmark of Ginglinger's wines. This starts with a pleasant viscosity on the attack, and then finishes with scintillating crunchy freshness. Notes of mint, lemongrass and verbena, and a long mineral finish.  Eben Lillie

Laurent Barth 2014 Alsace Riesling

This is a classic dry Riesling from Laurent Barth. Plenty of complexity and salinity with nice granitic character in the finish, but still round enough to please a variety of palettes.

Laurent Barth 2015 Alsace Extra Brut Vin Mousseux

Pinot Auxerrois with 5%Pinot Noir. Capped when the sugar is around 17-18g residual. A small amount of red wine was added to give some structure and aromatic complexity. This is a really tasty Pet-Nat with fine bubbles and gentle acidity. Laurent says it's the kind of wine that gives you "juste le temps de bat le sil," (enough time to bat your eyelashes) before it's gone!   EL

Laurent Barth 2016 Alsace Pinot D'Alsace Vieilles Vignes

80% of the wine is from the heart of the press of Pinot Auxerrois, and 20% from a parcel of Pinot Noir (direct press) that Laurent acquired in 2016. This is a beautifully structured wine, simultaneously charming and serious, with  ripe stone fruit on the nose and ample acidity on the palate. A rare and special treat!   Eben Lillie

Laurent Barth 2016 Alsace Pinot Noir SO5P164

Loew 2001 Alsace Tokay Pinot Gris SGN 500ml

Mann, Albert 2000 Alsace Pinot Gris Hengst SGN 375ml

Mann, Albert 2001 Alsace Tokay Pinot Gris Altenbourg SGN 375ml

Rietsch, Jean Pierre 2016 Alsace Muscat Ottonel 'Murmure'

Muscat Ottonel is a cross between Chasselas and Muscat d'Eisenstadt (see Wine Grapes: J. Robinson, J. Harding, J. Vouillamoz). Paler and earlier ripening than the more commonly planted Muscat, it yields a wine that is perhaps less spicy on the nose, with some softness and predictable floral aromatics. Rietsch lets the juice and skins sit together for a very short period of time, mostly in an effort to ensure a safe and sound fermentation to get a totally dry wine. I really like this delicate expression of Muscat. It's balanced and light at 11% (some Muscats can easily hit 14% or more) and not overwhelming. This would be ideal with less spicy Asian cuisine, as an afternoon glass with a fresh salad, or simply as an aperitif.  EL

Rietsch, Jean Pierre 2016 Alsace Pas a Pas

Pas a Pas is a special offering from JP Rietsch. A solera wine made from a grape called Savagnin Rose (related to the Savagnin Blanc from Jura, but this is the pink one). I had never heard of a pink Savagnin before meeting Rietsch, and still haven't heard of any other producers (anywhere) who have plots of this variety, so comparisons will not be made...nor could they be considering that there are multiple vintages carried over to make this perpetual wine that will constantly change from bottling to bottling. The current iteration is a wine to geek out on. Open it with your most poetic and wine-obsessed friends and spend a few hours with it! Though there is ample acidity giving the wine freshness, the dominant quality is its density and ridiculously long finish. Bravo, Jean-Pierre! 

Schoffit, Bernard and Robert 2001 Pinot Gris Clos St. Theobald Larme de Lave SGN 375ml

Schoffit, Bernard and Robert 2002 Alsace Tokay Pinot Gris Rangen Clos St. Theobald SGN 500ml

Valentin-Zusslin 2014 Alsace Sylvaner Bollenberg

From the south-facing Bollenberg lieu-dit in Orschwir, a hill that stands apart from the foothills of the Vosges. The soils are iron-rich clays. The vines are farmed biodynamically, the grapes undergo extreme selection before fermentation with native yeasts and aging in large Vosges casks. The 2014 Sylvaner Bollenberg offers enticing aromas of apricot, cool crushed herbs, golden apple skin, and apple blossoms. The palate is fresh and lively, with flavors of perfectly ripe stone fruit, faint tropical notes, a bracing herbaceousness, and an incisively savory finish. The 2014 embodies the charm of Sylvaner, while expressing enough stoniness to captivate the most ardent rock fan. A fine pairing with poached chicken with salsa verde and grand with a ripe triple crème cheese, this would enliven lighter fish preparations and make for a splendid apéritif. John McIlwain