Category: Alsace

Recently VinsAlsace visited Vancouver and brought a range of their Alsatian wines from sparkling, light-bodied and dry wines to full-body, thicker, rich-flavoured wines. They wanted to let us know in this Trade tasting that the variation in the rocks and soil brings different personalities to their wines.  The soils are quite varied with granite, limestone, marl-limestone, clay-marl, marl-limestone-sandstone, sandstone, volcanic,…

The history of wines from Alsace traces back centuries, with evidence of viticulture dating to Roman times. Situated in northeastern France, Alsace’s unique terroir, characterized by its cool climate, varied soils, and abundant sunshine, has fostered the cultivation of distinctive aromatic white grape varieties along with Pinot Noir. Today, Alsace wines enjoy global acclaim, renowned for their quality, versatility, and…

The Riesling grape, originating in the Rhine region of Germany, carries a legacy that spans centuries. Its journey across the world has resulted in an intriguing juxtaposition between Old World and New World expressions. In Germany and Alsace, the grape showcases its classic charm, producing wines with delicate floral aromas, racy acidity, and a pronounced mineral character. In contrast, New…

This past week Business France, the national agency to develop the French economy through export growth, brought in several French wineries to Vancouver.  These wineries do not yet have representation in British Columbia.  You currently cannot purchase these wines.  This article is meant for wine agents in BC that are interested in adding more French wines to their portfolio.  Below…

I had a wonderful time speaking with Valérie Beyer about their Alsatian wines recently.  I interviewed Valérie two years ago together with her husband, Christian, about their wines.  I was curious to taste the 2020 vintage wines and compare them to their 2019 wines.  Valérie mentioned that 2020 was a hotter vintage than 2019. She mentioned that the 2020 vintage…

The Hauller family has been making wine since 1776 in Alsace.  They use their ancestral know-how to consider new issues and offer modern and innovative solutions, to respond to their client’s demands all over the world.  The two brothers, Ludovic and Guillaume, joined their parents in the winery in 2015.  One of the brothers’ objectives was to organically farm the…

François Schmitt took over the family winery in Alsace, Domaine François Schmitt, joined by his son, Frédéric, in 1998, and his wife, Myriam in 2010. I spoke with Frédéric and Myriam about their wines.  Frédéric views their wines as gastronomic, built for food.  Today I tasted all still wines, but they also make a significant amount of cremant wines.  One…

Domaine Barmès-Buecher was created in 1985 by Geneviève Barmès (née Buecher) and François Barmès, her husband, who combined the lands of their respective families, who owned vines since the 17th century, in Wettolsheim.  I was fortunate to interview Sophie Barmes, their daughter, about the winery and its wines, through the Millésimes Alsace online tasting event held this week. The winery…

Do you enjoy Alsatian wines?  They are very food-friendly, with Riesling being the best-known grape from the region.  There are also other aromatic white varieties, like Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Gewurztraminer, and now Pinot Noir is becoming more widely known.  I attended a virtual Alsatian Digitasting Fair this week and interviewed four winemakers at their wineries.  The wineries I…

Have I ever mentioned that one of my memorable tastings was at the Famille Hugel winery in Riquewihr in the Alsace region of France?  To the wonderful selection of wines, I also enjoyed dinner at a nearby restaurant, enjoying choucroute paired with an Alsatian Riesling.  The menu below from Provence Marinaside makes my mouth water.  Delicious wines and dishes.  Attend…