Alsace Riesling Wine

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  November 2009

  Domaines Schlumberger Riesling Alsace Grand Cru Kitterle 1999

  Snoothrank: Starting at $33^.19

  No written review

  Wine review by neilfaz

  
  

• November 2009

  OK, maybe I'm getting a little carried away with my experimentation. This past Sunday I made a traditional French wine-and-fish stew called a matelote. I've had them in several parts of France, including Alsace where the multiple versions I've been served have included variously... Read moreOK, maybe I'm getting a little carried away with my experimentation. This past Sunday I made a traditional French wine-and-fish stew called a matelote. I've had them in several parts of France, including Alsace where the multiple versions I've been served have included variously sylvaner, riesling and gewurtztraminer in their broth (and with cream and egg yoks, as well). In Normandy I've had a version cooked with cidre and calvados. I'm not sure if the fish stews and soups I've had in the south of France are technically matelotes, though a case might be made that those on the Mediterranean coast from the border with Italy to that with Spain, such as bouillabaise, could fall within the genre (I'm waiting for a deluge of Gallic scorn on that one, though...). Anyway, I decided to try to reproduce a matelote that I've had in the town of Bordeaux before--a Matelote d'Anguille, or eel stew. I threw in some mushrooms, leeks, garlic, baby onions and prunes, too. We were drinking Pontet Canet, so I used some cheaper claret from an adjoining vineyard in the stew. The result was another success, and the sauce, again, was all mopped up. A lot of eel gets eaten in Japan (prepared in very different ways then this, of course), and I personally like it, so this was an easy choice for me and my guests. Unless you're from the Netherlands, Japan, or only a few other places I can think of if you give me a moment, it might be a bit offputting. But this dish was delicious, and a very good match for the cabernet/merlot blend. Next time I'm thinking of trying it with some garnachas or tempranillos.... D9sus4, I don't have the recipes written down, so I'll have to think a bit then take the time to write them out. Won't be this week, nor likely next, I'm afraid....    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Seafood and Red Wine by dmcker

  
  

• November 2009

  I don't know if this is too late or not - but when I looked at your menu, and considering the budget - I can think of two options that would really go well with the whole menu. I make that Brussel Sprout / Bacon dish at least once a month - one of my favorites. After much trial and... Read moreI don't know if this is too late or not - but when I looked at your menu, and considering the budget - I can think of two options that would really go well with the whole menu. I make that Brussel Sprout / Bacon dish at least once a month - one of my favorites. After much trial and error, I found that New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc go really well with it, and it would also do well with the chicken and squash. If your willing to up the stakes a few bucks - Cloudy Bay would be a home run (its about $25) with the entire meal. If not - there are plenty of others that would also do really well under $20 - Matua Valley, Babich, Monkey Bay, or Brancott. 2. A dry Riesling - try German Kabinett like Johannishoff, Grunhauser; French Alsace - Pierre Sparr; Australian Wolf Blass or Penfold, or from the US - Columbia Crest, The dinner sounds great! Cheers!    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Pairing Help Please by TL NJ

  
  

• November 2009

  For a white, I usually go with a medium-dry Riesling; a spatlese will complement the turkey while standing up to the stuffing and cranberries. You can get good values from Alsace, and from Oregon's Willamette Valley. For a red, you can hardly go wrong with a zin, but I tend to go... Read moreFor a white, I usually go with a medium-dry Riesling; a spatlese will complement the turkey while standing up to the stuffing and cranberries. You can get good values from Alsace, and from Oregon's Willamette Valley. For a red, you can hardly go wrong with a zin, but I tend to go for something sturdier like a Rhone red. I'm partial to Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but there are comparable Grenache-Syrah blends from Spain that are very affordable. (I've tried Bordeaux and cabernets, but to my taste, they're overkill.) And don't forget one bottle of prosecco, to start things off with a proper toast! When you finally sit back and loosen your belts, a Moscato d'Asti makes for a nice finale: delicious, inexpensive, and light on the alcohol.    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Best Recommendations for... by jpdemers

  
  

• November 2009

  Two question re your friend's gift. 1. Do you want to spend about $45, and 2. Is your friend an "experienced" Riesling drinker. Because you can get excellent "sweet" Rieslings for much less than $45. If "yes" to 1 and 2, I would recommend one from Alsace (like Zind-Humbrecht,... Read moreTwo question re your friend's gift. 1. Do you want to spend about $45, and 2. Is your friend an "experienced" Riesling drinker. Because you can get excellent "sweet" Rieslings for much less than $45. If "yes" to 1 and 2, I would recommend one from Alsace (like Zind-Humbrecht, Marcel Deiss, or Paul Blank) or German (look for Auslese, or Beernauslese types of Rieslings - the Kabinetts and Spaltese may be too dry) - try labels like Dr. Loosen, Dr Bergweiler, or Richter) But there are really some great "sweet" Rieslings coming from the State of Washington, that you can get for half that amount. Chateau St. Michelle's "Eroica" is excellent, and my favorite all time sweet Riesling, "Kung Fu Girl" from Charles Smith Winery. You can also consider some "late harvest" wines - which are generally dessert wines, and usually up in that price range. Very sweet, and some of them are even red varieties (so you can "just happen" to get her something that you would enjoy too! I hope that helps    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic "Hi My Name Is" / Favorite Red by TL NJ

  
  
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  November 2009

  Lucien Albrecht Riesling Reserve Alsace 2006

  Snoothrank:

  Had this before and it was a very nice riesling. Something must have gone wrong with this bottle though, because it was grassy, tight and sour. All other times, it's been a solid, good example of Alsacean riesling.

  Wine review by VegasOenophile

  
  

• November 2009

  Well you got me going, Greg, so I went back and looked at my wine purchases over the past year. My online/mailorder purchases were exactly 24 cases. 12 from US producers and 12 from those in the rest of the wine world. For the US, four from Sonoma, three from Napa, two from the CA... Read moreWell you got me going, Greg, so I went back and looked at my wine purchases over the past year. My online/mailorder purchases were exactly 24 cases. 12 from US producers and 12 from those in the rest of the wine world. For the US, four from Sonoma, three from Napa, two from the CA central coast, one each from Washington and Oregon, and one from other parts of California. Cabs made up the largest varietal, followed by pinot noir, syrah, chardonnay, zinfandel and 'others', in that order. For the rest of the world, four from France (one each from Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Rhone and a mixed case from Alsace and Champagne), two from Italy, two from Spain, two from Australia, one from Germany and one from Portugal. By varietal, cabernet/merlot, pinot noir, chardonnay, syrah, nebbiolo, grenache, riesling, sangiovese, tempranillo and 'others', roughly in that order. These were just my online purchases, and don't include wine I bought at liquor stores/other markets or at restaurant. Don't have the same records for those, but my volumes of purchase at market by region would be in the order France, Spain, Italy, Australia, Chile, Germany, California then 'others'. By varietal would probably be cab/merlot, sangiovese, chardonnay, tempranillo, pinot, riesling, nebiollo and 'others', again in rough order. At restaurant it would probably be a tie between France and Italy for first, followed by Spain, Australia, Germany, California and 'others' in that order. By varietal it's harder to calculate, but probably chardonnay first followed by a competitive jumble of cabs, sangioveses, pinots, and nebiollos, then another grouping of rieslings, 'other' whites, 'other' reds and dessert wines. Though I've had years when I was traveling a lot and bought fewer bottles, this year has probably been at the bottom of the medium range for my purchases by volume. Probably should be buying more, since prices (except for those targeted by Parker et al.) are so (relatively) attractive at the moment. Again, I'm glad we're living at a time when it's possible to taste wines from all over the place. I hope to drink a lot more wines from South America and further east in the Mediterranean (from the Adriatic to the Aegean and maybe a bit north) in the coming year. And maybe give New Zealand and South Africa another chance....    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic What's your favorite grape(s) by dmcker

  
  

• October 2009

  Domaine Weinbach among many others producing excellent Rieslings around Colmar. We visited several tiny tasting rooms in Alsace with exceptional good wines and wish we could find their Rieslings here in the US. http://www.winedinetv.com Read moreDomaine Weinbach among many others producing excellent Rieslings around Colmar. We visited several tiny tasting rooms in Alsace with exceptional good wines and wish we could find their Rieslings here in the US. http://www.winedinetv.com    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Alsace Riesling by WineDineTV

  
  

• October 2009

  Steph - My advice for you is similar to Greg T. I would advise that you start with some of the good "Mega Producers" out there. Their wines are of good quality, and just about all of them make almost all varieties. First start out by getting an idea of what you like - once you... Read moreSteph - My advice for you is similar to Greg T. I would advise that you start with some of the good "Mega Producers" out there. Their wines are of good quality, and just about all of them make almost all varieties. First start out by getting an idea of what you like - once you have it narrowed down to the varietals and/or regions that you like - it gets more interesting to then start experimenting with different labels and price ranges. I would also suggest you start your experimenting by region - as you will learn, for example, a Frech Cabernet is a bit different from a Californian, from a Washington, From a Chilean, from an Australian, etc - you will learn how those subtleties work or don't work for you as you go. Each region "specializes" in certain varietals, so as you move around start with the "Mega" brand from the region, what that region is known for - see how it goes, and if your interested in moving forward. Below I've generalized wines by regions and noted some of the better quality "mega producers" - meaning you can get a bottle for a good proce, and it ill give you a general idea on what the varietal in that region is like. For California - I would suggest Berringer, Mondavi, Benzinger or Kendall Jackson. They all make just about every varietal you can imagine, at a good value for the range you are looking for. As I mentioned above - try them all out - and when you feel you've found a varietal that interest you - start experimenting with other labels, and other regions. For Washington - Columbia Crest and Chateau Ste. Michelle In Italy - Piedmont (known for Barolo, Barberesca and Barbera) try Beni di Batasiolo, Michele Chiarlo or Prunotto. Tuscany - known for Chianti and Brunello - try Antinori or Banfi, or French Alsace (known for sweeter whites like Riesling and Pinot Grigio) - try Paul Blanck, Bordeaux (which is mostly Cabernet blends) - is tough - they dont generally come cheap, if you can find it - I thought Chateau Phelan-Segur was a pretty good introduction to Bordeaux for the price (Im sure others on this Forum can add suggestions here) Burgundy (mostly known for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir) - I think Joseph Drouhin is a good introduction Rhone - (mostly known for Viognier, Syrah and Grenache) - try M. Chapoutier, or E. Guigal Australia - known for their Shiraz - but also make excellent Chardonnay, Riesling and Cabernet - try Rosemount Estate, Wynn's or Wolf Blass Hopefully this is enough to get you started on your journey. About food - there are some general "rules of thumb" with pairing - and its all about balance. Some wines are heavier, or "bigger" than others - e.g., A Cabernet Sauvignon is normally much heavier than a Merlot or Cab Franc. With whites, a full bodied Chardonnay is much bigger than Sauvignon Blanc. To play it safe - try to balance the food with the wine - If you have a thick heavy steak, or creamy chicken dish - go for a bigger wine (white or red). Vice versa the more delicate the food is - keep the wine lighter - the wine should compliment the food not overpower it. Within those guidelines - what specifically works better with what - you will have to let some experimenting and your taste buds decide. I hope that helps. Enjoy!    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Help - Advice for a Beginner by TL NJ

  
  

• October 2009

  Leon Beyer is my favorite Alsatian producer.

  Forum post in the topic Alsace Riesling by cookypuss1

  
  

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