Happy New Year Club Members!
Christmas came and went as quickly as expected and was followed by the worst flu ever! So I had no joy of sipping fancy wines and grazing on cheese but at last, I am back. And I can confirm, champagne finally tastes good!
Other than this encounter, I had a nice little break and hope you all did too. Now it’s time to get back on the road ( got a bit behind with my discoveries and the newsletter, flu!! ) and taste some new wines.
Have you recently signed up for The 4pm Club? Hello again and thank you for your support, I can’t wait to share my wine journey with you.
The Charade
I have been meaning to write about this Accidental Wine Club night for a while but something always got in the way. Friend and I planned it for ages, just before our proper Christmas party took place (more about that a bit later) and we were both so excited. German whites and some tacos to match the wines, I was so proud of myself for sorting it all. And I only made one error, never ordered the wines online….
What do you do in this situation? Head to your local wine shop and hope for the best. Friend was still in good spirits about the night and had good expectations for the wines but honestly, as soon as I started to look at those shelves, full of bottles from all over the world, I knew we would not find anything from Germany. So I followed my instincts and decided to go for a few bottles from Alsace ( close enough to Germany I suppose ) and a New World Riesling for reference. Friend still seemed fairly excited, he picked the New World wine, we never discussed the fact of non-German wines in our possession and we got ready for the tasting. I think the realisation of what we bought compared to what he thought we did only hit him once we laid out the wines. The perfect charade of non-German whites alongside a bottle of Cremant!
Jean Biecher & Fils, Pinot Gris
Alsace is probably one of my favourite regions in France. Here, traditions are a blend of German and French: wines such as Riesling, Pinot Blanc and Gewurztraminer are most at home.
The Biecher family have been making wines in Alsace since 1776 and worked tirelessly to keep traditions alongside modern, cutting-edge technology. That technology and new vineyard techniques enabled the team to gain certified organic status for a number of their plots and wines and also to carry on the production of still wines, ranging from modern and fruit-driven ones right up to Alsace Grand Cru classifications.
Pinot Gris ( originally from Burgundy ) is known for its quality to produce very concentrated wines and this one is no exception. A beautiful golden-yellow colour in a glass upon pouring. Delicious aromas of dried fruit, apricots, honey and even some gingerbread on the nose. There is a hint of smoke too but it feels rather eery and misty. It feels rich and earthy but without being overpowering. It’s fragrant with a silky, well-balanced and long finish. I read somewhere that if you have to sum up Pinot Gris in one word it would be generosity. It’s actually a perfect way to describe this attractive white.
Name: Jean Biecher & Fils, Pinot Gris
Origin: Alsace, France
Grape: Pinot Gris
ABV: 13%
Notes: Golden-yellow colour, aromas of dried fruit, apricots, honey, some tropical fruits too. Gingerbread notes on the nose and a touch of smokiness. Very fresh, well-balanced and rounded with a silky, long finish
Price: £14.95
Where: The Fine Wine Company
Jean Biecher & Fils, Gewurztraminer
I was very pleased to be able to get a Gewurztraminer from the same family vineyard. And I am about to let you in on a secret: as good as this was, it didn’t even get close to that exceptional bottle we tried last week ( before the big flu hit ). I can’t wait to tell you all about it but just to say, it is right up there with our favourite Vouvray from our French night.
But let’s see how this one tasted first.
Gewurztraminer is the most extravagant of all the Alsace wines. Fragrant, complex, delicate and smooth, loud and cheerful all at the same time.
It had a very intense yellow colour with a gold hue. It looked thick already in the glass. On the nose, all the main characteristics of the grape appeared: exotic, tropical fruits, roses and oriental spices. The palate followed on with the same, delightful flavours and the additional notes of pineapple and lychee ( although not as strong as it usually is ). This is a very solid, well-structured and full-bodied Gewurztraminer with a fresh and very welcomed crisp, citrus acidity. A good one to pick if you are new in the Gewurztraminer game!
Name: Jean Biecher & Fils, Gewurztraminer
Origin: Alsace, France
Grape: Gewurztraminer
ABV: 13.5%
Notes: Tropical fruits and exotic notes on the nose, roses and sweet oriental spices. Pineapple, lychee on the palate. Full-bodied, fragrant, well-balanced with a golden hue colour
Price: £14.95
Where: The Fine Wine Company
Jim Barry Watervale Single Vineyard Riesling
I have to give a little mention to this one as it was way better than expected.
Lots of floral notes, fresh lime, and citrus with a hint of melon on the nose. Chalky, very mineral in texture with white floral, citrus flavours, and a juicy finish. So light with a lot of character, expected it to be a bit stuffier but was very pleasantly surprised, fit well around the Alsace whites.
Name: Jim Barry Watervale Single Vineyard Riesling
Origin: Clare Valley, Australia
Grape: Riesling
ABV: 12%
Price: £15.49 ….but, I got this for £12.99, which I think is much more reasonable for it. Don’t think it would have been in our basket if it was more than that.
Where: Australian Wines Online
Next time…
Is there anything left to drink after Christmas? Vineyard trips start again!
Have a grape day!
The 4pm Club