12/2008 WOLFBERGER GEWURZTRAMINER 2007
This lovely wine arrived to our glasses by way of a friend. He is a wine lover and travels to Europe a couple times each year, inevitably returning with a case or two of wine. This Alsatian wine, though, did not come with him on the airplane. He found it in the Washington, DC area.

WOLFBERGER GEWURZTRAMINER retails for $15-$20 a bottle, and it is very enjoyable. It tastes of clove and peach and has just the right amount of flavor --- it is neither weak nor cloyingly potent like some Gewurztraminers. (Rating ****1/4)

To see if our retailer carries WOLFBERGER wines, click SHOP FOR WINES and type "WOLFBERGER" in the search engine and click the magnifying glass. Alternatively, you may surf to the website of Kysela Pere et Fils, Ltd., the U.S. importer.

Labels: Alsace, France, Gewurztraminer, White Wine, Wolfberger

 

8/2006 LUCIEN ALBRECHT ALSACE TOKAY PINOT GRIS 2002
Wow- what a funky white wine! We've always loved pinot gris because it, like pinot noir, tends to produce a really wide range of results, some of which border on the bizarre.

This white, which cost $10 retail, is HUGE, so huge that 3 of the 5 people who tasted it were overwhelmed after just a half glass. (The other two, it must be noted, loved it, and gleefully slurped it up.) How to describe it? Well, it floods the palate and is sorta....smokey...a bit sweet...with vegetable notes....and a dab of honey. Confused? So were we, so much so that we won't bother to rate this wine because it is just uncategorizable.

To see if our retailer carries ALBRECHT wines, click SHOP FOR WINES and type "ALBRECHT" in the search engine and click the magnifying glass. Otherwise, surf to http://www.lucien-albrecht.fr/ or contact the U.S. importer ROBERT KACHER SELECTIONS of Washington, DC at http://www.robertkacherselections.com/.

Labels: Alsace, France, Lucien Albrecht, Pinot Gris

 

8/2006 DOMAINES SCHLUMBERGER PINOT BLANC LES PRINCES ABBES 2004
The family we were visiting was casting about for a good house white wine. This one made the cut. It's from Alsace and quite pleasant; it's a little dry and a touch fruity. We bought it for $10 a bottle retail in a pricey part of town; elsewhere, no doubt, it goes for less. (Rating****)

To see if our retailer carries SCHLUMBERGER wines, click SHOP FOR WINES and type "SCHLUMBERGER" in the search engine and click the magnifying glass. Otherwise, surf to http://www.domaines-schlumberger.com/.

Labels: Alsace, Domaines Schlumberger, France, Pinot Blanc