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ALSACE
– GRAPES –
In Alsace, the wine route is an essential destination
for all art, monument and wine enthusiasts. The
flower-bedecked timber-framed houses offer picturepostcard
settings and add a beautiful touch to villages
surrounded by vineyard-clad hillsides. White wines,
made from Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Pinot blanc
– which between them account for 60% of production
– have long been the region’s pride and joy. But the
appellation also produces remarkable red and rosé wines
from Pinot noir, with its dark red or even black skin and
white flesh. Ubiquitous in its native region of Burgundy,
the variety is one of the world’s most planted wine grapes.
Cropped at reasonable yields and reined in by proficient
winemakers, Pinot noir is used to produce wines showing
aromas of ripe red fruit, underpinned by a fairly light
structure, with subtle freshness and delicate tannins.
Along our Alsace red wine route, we chose some iconic
examples of what Pinot noir can achieve.
Thiébaud, Dominique and Julien Frey
MAISON CHARLES FREY:
PIONEERING ORGANIC WINE
Originally from Switzerland, the Frey family moved to a
1.5-hectare vineyard in Dambach-la-Ville at the beginning
of the 18 th century. At that time, the vines were farmed
using the family’s animals and the crop was sold directly
to a wholesaler after being pressed. In 1958, Charles
Frey decided to produce his own wines. In 1997, his son
Dominique converted the entire estate to organic and
biodynamic, making it one of the pioneers in Alsace. The
next generation – his son Julien – arrived in 2003, soon
joined by his brother Thiébaud, to run 20 hectares of vines
where the Pinot noir grapes command respect. “We want
to keep the purity and expression of a grape variety which,
when farmed at moderate yields, offers extreme finesse”,
explains Thiébaud Frey. “We market three different styles.
Harmonie, which is more fruit-driven and accessible, is
the classic range. Quintessence is distinctive because of
its ageing whilst Cuvée F, from the Frankstein Grand Cru
is positioned like a terroir-driven white and designed for
fine foods”.
DOMAINE WACH: ARTISAN WINEGROWERS
Domaine Wach combines the work of a craftsman with that
of a winegrower, honouring both excellence and tradition.
In 1748, the Wach family entered the world of wine,
The winery at Domaine Wach
SPRING 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 51