Arthur Sellers Bulletin Archive
We settled into a lovely mid-town bed and breakfast (a converted machine shop, believe it or not) and decided that the best way to begin our quest was to have lunch - preferrably one featuring that Strasbourgian staple, choucroute garnie. Choucroute garnie is a vast quantity of sauerkraut swimming in white wine, festooned with sausages and various renditions of pork accompanied by an endless supply of wonderful local mustard to ease it all down. Chez Yvonne where President Jacques Chirac was a frequent diner sounded just right to us.
Chez Yvonne was ideal. It had all of the charm and ambiance of an old German wine house combined with the care and attention to the menu and carte that only the French can bring to the table. I’ll spare you the lip smacking details of our marvelous meal and the luscious 2002 Leimenthal de Wettolsheim Riesling from Domaine Barmès Buecher that went with it, but suffice to say it was wonderful. At the end, we struck up a conversation with the very knowledgeable sommelier and asked him to recommend a small family-run Alsatian winery that he felt made the finest wines in the area. “You will find that which you seek at Domaine Vincent Stoeffler”, he intoned.
Domaine Vincent Stoeffler
The estate encompasses just under twenty-nine acres of carefully tended vines scattered throughout the Barr-Mittelbergheim and Riquewihr-Ribeauville areas. The vines are carefully pruned to control the yields and to ensure that only the best fruit reaches harvest. All of their grapes are hand-picked and then pressed whole, with a slow, moderate pressure and minimum manipulation. Moderate filtration ensures that the wine is not stripped of character. The wines are then raised on their lees in large oak casks, allowing aromas to develop and living yeast cells to act slowly on the wine over time.
Robert Parker cites Domaine Vincent Stoeffler as being an ‘excellent’ Alsatian producer which is supported by consistent top ratings by the European wine press including those by the prestigious Revue de Vin de France that has bestowed its approval on the winery ever since Vincent took the helm.
Rating Recent Vintages in Alsace
The highly respected English wine Merchants, Berry Bros. & Rudd (est. 1698) rate the two recent vintages from the Alsace:
2011 – 8/10 2010 – 9/10
The Wines of Domaine Vincent Stoeffler
It was a most difficult task coming up with a manageable selection of the exceptional Stoeffler wines to feature for our wine club. The 2010 Riesling “Muhlforst” (Lieu dit) and 2011 Pinot Gris “Salzhof” (Lieu dit) were no brainers – they are fantastic.
Then we selected two Grand Cru wines for the connoisseur, both from Kirchberg de Barr – the 2011 Riesling and the 2010 Gewürztraminer. Incidentally, there are fifty Grand Cru designated appellations in Alsace. While both of these wines are pleasures to drink in their youth, they will age wonderfully for several years. A word of caution is required – these Grand Cru wines, particularly the Gewürztraminer, give the impression of being sweet (caused by low acidity combined with high glycerol) and are even a bit unctuous (slightly oily). This is the way they should be, but might not be to everyone’s taste.
For those who would like to try each of these magnificent still whites, Vincent has created a mixed case that is comprised of two bottles each of the 2010 Riesling “Muhforst” and 2011 Pinot Gris “Salzhof” and one each of the two Grand Crus.
Finally, we chose the most festive Crémant de Alsace, a terrific fizz destined to start many a party off on the right note.
2010 Riesling “Muhlforst” (Lieu dit) – 13.5% Alc./Vol. $27/$162 case of 6 This light straw coloured beauty comes from forty year old vines located in a single parcel of land in the Muhlforst area near Hunawhir. ‘Lieu dit’ is a French term used to refer to the local, traditional name of a small area of land, usually defined by topography or history. The full aroma is one of citrus fruit including blood oranges, pineapple, pear and a trace of honey which carries through in the mouth with a lusciousness minerality that is most pleasing. This elegant, dry wine is wonderful to sip on its own and would be a delightful companion for fish, shellfish (it would be a killer with Coquille Saint Jacques), roast chicken and other white, lightly sauced meats. I would give it another year before opening and it will keep nicely for up to a decade. I love this wine and highly recommend it. Order some of this heavenly elixir now.
2011 Pinot Gris “Salzhof” (Lieu dit) – 13.7% Alc./Vol. $24/$144 case of 6 This light yellow beauty has a very complex aroma chocked full of mangoes, peaches, apricots, grilled almonds, honey, wet pebbles and exotic spices. It comes from the beautiful Salzhof vineyards where it gets its fine minerality. It is so refined in the mouth - crisp, clean, fresh and dry with a firm background of acidity. It goes on forever. It would benefit from another year or more of bottle aging to develop its underlying complexity but is a pleasure to drink now. It is simply an unbelievably delicious Pinot Gris that is an ideal accompaniment for fish, shellfish and white meats. Order some splendid Alsatian Pinot Gris now.
2011 Riesling Kirchberg de Barr Grand Cru – 13.7% Alc./Vol. $33/$198 case of 6 “Wonderful!” That’s my first note in my tasting book about this extravagant Riesling that comes from the family plot in the Grand Cru Kirchberg de Barr vineyards. The yield is a very low thirty hectolitres per hectare. A clear yellow, one is struck by zesty aromas of pineapple, spiced (cinnamon, cloves and cardamom) pears, coconut and a hint of mandarins and citrus fruits. In the mouth it is very round and full with a beautiful minerality and great length. The lovely, steely acidity keeps this wine from being too sweet. Marvellous all by itself or as an aperitif, this stunner will go brilliantly with fish, shellfish, dishes with white or spicy sauces and white meats. It tastes great now but will continue to evolve deliciously over the next fifteen years. Order a treat of all treats now.
2010 Gewürztraminer Kirchberg de Barr Grand Cru - 12.5% Alc./Vol. $39/$234 case of 6 This is simply a divine Gewürztraminer! To sum up my impression of this wine I wrote ‘Smashing’ with several underscores. Light, brilliant honey-coloured, it has a perfumed aroma of lychees, pears, grapefruit, roses, apricots, flowers and exotic spices. These scents explode in the mouth where they leave a full, round and balanced yet elegant impression; definitely not overblown. It is a bit on the sweet side, but not overly so thanks to a gentle acidity. This stunner is also a perfect match for foie gras and Asian cuisine as well as sabayon and fruit tarts or simply relished on its own. If possible, keep it for five years or so; it will continue to develop for several years beyond. Order some of this sultry treasure now.
Vincent Stoeffler’s Alsatian Sampler $29/$174 case of 6 I would be more than hard pressed to select just one of these four beautiful Alsatian wines (heavens, it was nearly impossible to select the four that we did). Thankfully, Vincent came up with a solution to this delicious dilemma. He has created a mixed-case of two bottles each of the 2010 Riesling “Muhlforst” (Lieu dit) and 2011 Pinot Gris “Salzhof” (Lieu dit) along with one each of the Kirchberg de Barr Grand Crus - the 2011 Riesling and 2010 Gewürztraminer. This is a truly glorious opportunity to try a four of the finest white wines we have ever offered. If you never order another white wine from your wine club, we urge you to order the Stoeffler’s Alsatian Sampler.
Crémant d’Alsace Blanc de Blancs – 12.0% Alc./Vol. $25/$150 case of 6 This festive little beauty is comprised of Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Auxerrois from vines ranging from twenty-five to thirty years of age. A light straw colour, it offers up a fresh, lively nose of citrus fruits and fresh nuts with floral and toasty notes. The tiny bubbles gently caress the palate and it has a perfectly balanced and harmonious finish. This dry sparkler would be a great aperitif, perfect with an array of amuse-bouches. Drink before 2016. Order some now.
All of these delicious wines come in six-bottle cases. We plan to take your requests to the LCBO on Friday, February 8th. Please note that our prices include one dollar per bottle handling fee.
We thoroughly enjoyed Strasbourg (we hear it is particularly enchanting at Christmas time) and the Alsatian Wine Route and highly recommend a visit there if you haven’t already had the opportunity. It seems to perfectly embrace the finest elements of French and German culture.
It would be simply ducky if you would forward this note on to anyone you think would enjoy some absolutely splendid Alsatian wines!
Many thanks and cheers,
Hélène and Jim www.arthursellers.com jaswalker@arthursellers.com www.ofrance.ca hbuisson@ofrance.ca
