My Christmas Vaction Part II

While the first part of my vacation was Beer-centric, the second part is much heavier on the vine than the barley. My Fiance, best friend, and his wife headed down to Strassbourg France for a couple of days in the Alsace region. Great food, great wine, and great company was a fine way to spend the second part of my vaction. Between walking around the city, eating some tart flambe's and drinking Riesling, and Pinot Noir, we went on a tour of the Alsace Wine Trail. While I didn't get to stop at many wineries since it was the off season, we were able to go to 2 tastings.
The first was at Klipfel Wine Cave. Klipfel is a pretty nice winery with a wide selection of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Gewurztraminer. We were able to taste all of the above, but the highight by far was a 7 year old Grand Cru Riesling and a 5 year old late harvest Gewurztraminer. Both were absolutely amazing, with the Riesling still showing some of their characteristic sweetness, pear and apricots, but with many more notes of mineraliness and a bit of petrol. The gewurztraminer was amazing especially noting that it would be a few more years before reaching its peak of approachiblity.
The second winery we went to was a small tiny place run by an old French couple outside the town of Barr. We sat around their dining room table tasting some of their wines. While none were as complex as the best of the Klipfel's they were all amazing especially their Pinot Gris. Over the next few weeks I will be opening some of the bottles I purchased at both of those places and tasting them to make sure that I like them now as much as I did back then. For some of the late harvest ones...well those notes may take a couple of years.

2000 Chorus Domain Saint Michel

After my last few weeks of beer posts, I figured I would use this week to make sure that my wine senses stayed in shape. Earlier this week I posted my thoughts on a very nice German Riesling. Today? A very nice Bordeaux. One of the nice things about being in Germany is the opportunity to pick up wines from France, Italy, Spain, and others that I don't get to often or at all in Houston. This one comes from that jet setter of wine consultants Michel Reynaud. For the uninitiated, Mr. Reynaud consults for dozens for wineries all over the world. From California, to South America, to his home country France. His wines are normally rated incredibly high which leaves him open to some pretty heavy criticism that he makes wines to meet a style that will fetch high ratings from Robert Parker, Wine Spectator and all the others, instead of using the natural terrior to create great wine. Its an interesting argument. There are times that I want a wine to have that sense of place, that when you sip it, you KNOW where it came from. The best example I have is a Rutherford Cabernet. In most great examples you get this hint of mint, which comes form the eucalyptus trees that surround many of the vineyard of the area. However, you have to have respect for a man that makes great wine in all different settings, even if as some say they all taste the same. No one argues they aren't good.
The Wine: The wine weighs in at 13.5% which is about par for a good Bordeaux red, but far under a similar American Blend. Its AOC from Corbieres France. It pours a nice rich blood red in the glass, sediment falling to the bottom of the glass (no decanter here in Germany with me) The first sniff is of dark red cherries, raspberries, blackberries and some cassis. Another sniff and I get some damp earth, tar, and leather. The mouth is full of cherries, raspberries, a hint of mint, very berry, finishing out a little dry with notes of vanilla, and charred oak. Incredibly well balanced, not to acidic, not to tannic. Say what you will about Mr. Reynaud, but he made a great wine here. I'd grade it an A-.