Alsace: Riesling

After tasting an impressive lineup like this, it's easy to conclude that, although better known for Gewurztraminer or Pinot Gris, Alsace's best-kept secret is really their superb Rieslings. These are mostly dry too, as well as making some (tiny amounts of) brilliant late-harvest Riesling.

Surprisingly perhaps, Riesling is also the most-produced variety in Alsace (over 30% in 2024), and it can be used in sparkling wine blends. They're mad for it in Ireland too, according to vinsalsace.com, where 40% of Alsace wine imports is Riesling! Not surprisingly perhaps, much of it is quite expensive but quality is high. These 15 favourites were tasted in Dublin recently.

Joseph Cattin Réserve 2024 (12% abv) - Very nice style, limey and chalky, concentrated and textured with tasty crisp finish. €21 BoutiqueWines.ie

Domaine Zinck Portrait 2024 (12%) - Ripe lime with funky tones, textured vs crisp mouthfeel with aromatic yet oily finish, pretty intense wine. Wow, crazy Riesling! (Biodynamic/Demeter certified). €14 cellar door. $25 CA.

Gustave Lorentz

Réserve 2024 (12.5%) - Pretty classic Riesling with steely citrus and lime style, structured and very dry palate but nicely textured and fruity too. Lovely wine. £17 Fairley's Wines (NI). Quintessential Wines (US importer).

Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim 2021 (13%) - Rich lime fruit with oily notes / texture, concentrated and crisp, has so much flavour and shows it should age for years yet. Brilliant Riesling. €43-€47 Baggot Street Wines, The Vintry, Wineonline.ie.

Famille Hugel 2024 (12%) - Steely chalky start with aromatic and floral citrus developing, crisp and tight mouthfeel, needs some time in bottle but it's classy for sure. €27 The Vintry, O'Briens. About £25 UK.

Grossi Laüe 2016 (from their vineyards in Clos du Pflostig, and Grand Crus Sporen and Schoenenbourg) (12.5%) - Wow! Mature and oily while still intense, crisp and steely, nicely developed but still tightly structured and almost youthful at the same time. Superb wine. €75 Green Man Wines, DrinksStore.ie

Domaine Sipp Mack Tradition 2023 (13%) - Developing lovely 'petrol' nose and palate, oily maturing fruit yet crisp too, delicious with concentrated finish. €21 Mitchell and Sons.

Trimbach Classic 2022 (13%) - Classy maturing Riesling style, oily and rich palate with chalky textured tones, concentrated yet elegant and long. Delicious, very good. €25 Whelehan's Wines, Wineonline.ie.

Domaines Schlumberger

Les Princes Abbés 2022 (12.5%) - Ripe and rich in a very Riesling way, oily textured while intense and steely, very long finish. Superb. €25-€30 Searsons Wine Merchants.

Grand Cru Saering 2021 (13%) - Very steely and incisive still while maturing and oily, has real depth and bite, and developing nicely, will age for some years. Excellent. €38 Searsons Wine Merchants.

Domaine Meyer-Fonné Vignoble de Katzenthal 2022 (13%) - Very ripe and mature nose, lovely oily rich palate vs chalky and crisp still. Classy. €34 Baggot Street Wines.

Moltès Lieu-Dit Steinstück 2023 (13%) - Intense and incisive Riesling, maturing yet still well structured, crisp vs oily texture, classy lingering finish. Another very good one. €25 Whelehan's Wines.

Bestheim Grand Cru Schlossberg 2023 (12.5%) - Big and concentrated, although elegant too with 12.5% abv, concentrated and stylish wine with zesty vs rich characters, delicious lingering finish. Wow. Image from www.bestheim.com. €15 cellar door.

Domaine Muré Grand Cru Vorbourg, Clos Saint Landelin 2019 (13.5%) - Toasty almost 'burnt' nose, mature and rich, big mouthful of flavour, something else! Very good but not for everyone. €48 Mitchell & Son.

Domaine Pierre Henri Ginglinger Grand Cru Eichberg 2022 (14%) - Very ripe and full-on, off-dry probably yet with chalky crisp finish. Bonkers Riesling! €39 The Wine Buff. Their 2024 Alsace Riesling is worth trying too, in a mineral style and not very expressive when I tasted it, but it has good depth (€24).

Other recent Alsace items: Alsace: Pinot Noir and Crémant sparkling (May).

More Alsace to follow...