Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/101724
WORLD TRAVELER PHOTO: LANA BORTOLOT Jean Trimbach. York than from one part of Turckheim to another. And that, in part, tells the story of Alsace: The wines can be many things to many people. There's a wide range of styles made from seven major grape varieties, of which Riesling and Gewurztraminer (without the umlaut in Alsace!) are the best known. The region also produces Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris, fuller-bodied whites that are unknown by many wine drinkers but are on the radar of sommeliers. "Pinot Blanc is thought to be a more neutral variety, but with the right site and winemaking, it can be an almost tropical wine that is very dynamic and bursting with lavor," said Keri Levens, Wine Director at Aquavit in New York City. It seems there's little Alsace doesn't produce. A typical portfolio could include lean and opulent whites, late-harvest wines (vendage tardive and sélection de grains nobles) and crémant d'Alsace, a sparkling wine which, after champagne, is the market leader in bubbly consumed at home in France. So, why are the wines so underappreciated in America? For one, Alsace 102 / the tasting panel / january 2013 isn't as well-known to Americans as other French wine regions. The picture-perfect villages attract plenty of European and Asian tourists, but it remains undiscovered for much of the world. It takes an off-the-beaten-path traveler (and drinker) to invest in the Alsatian journey. Second, what is Alsace's virtue—the diversity of styles—is also its challenge. The variation in winemaking styles, the range of sweetness (as well as the debate over sweetness) and the sophisticated lavor proiles make Alsace a little harder to approach—no matter how exquisite the wines. "I can produce a beautiful wine with a very interesting story—that's no problem—but who has time to explain the story?" asks Rémy Gresser, whose domaine dates to 1520, and who is the President of Comité Interprofessionnel des Vins d'Alsace (CIVA), the local wine trade association. Étienne Hugel, whose 16th-century cellar is in the heart of Colmar, agrees. And what he says about his own wines might be said for all Alsace wines: "These are not show wines. They need All about Alsace 38,500 acres 4,600 winegrowers Production: 11.6 million cases 119 wine-growing communes 90% white wine production Varieties: Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Muscat d'Alsace, Sylvaner, Pinot Noir. Three AOCs: Crémant d'Alsace, Alsace AOC and Alsace Grand Cru AOC AOC Grand Cru vineyards: 51 2.89 million cases exported with Belgium and Germany leading the market. The U.S. is the fifth most successful export market in terms of value, and seventh in volume. Riesling is the more planted grape (21.8%), followed by Pinot Blanc (21.2%) and Gewurztraminer (19.2%).