Ostertag, Breton

J

Josh Beck

Josh Beck
05 Ostertag Pinot Gris Fronholz
This needed many hours to really unwind and get going. Rich, sweet fruited, very complete with waxy stone fruits, hints of diesel, rainwater and minerals galore. Oily on the palate but with great detail and definition and a finish that combines great depth and power with some lithe cut. Great bottle, but then again I tend to dig Ostertag.

09 Breton Morgon VV
Supple, lithe, stoney, fresh, delightful. Perhaps a touch of brett so I might drink up, particularly given how much pleasure it delivers currently. Much more restrained than many 09 Beaujolais and just as pure and lacy as you could desire...

Twas my first Breton but I really dug it.

I really really like Trimbach and I really really like Ostertag. I've not had old ZH but the new stuff leaves me wildly underwhelmed. I've had some almost engaging Weinbach but they're pretty big. In any case, I will keep buying CFE and the Ostertag Riesling and Gris...

I'd love to hear from those more knowledgable of Alsace, what recent vintages (06 onward) are like, and what other producers might be worth looking at if I am into dry, mineral and pure more than hot, oaky and sweet...
 
Is also the shit. Speaking of which, I have been laying off due to brett issues in the wines, but when they are right, they are dyno-mite.
 
Rietsch and Julien Meyer are worth looking at too. I've got some notes here somewhere on both. Really enjoyed their sylvaners and Rietsch makes a vin jaune from pinot which I just had to try for the oddity of the idea, but loved it.
 
I too like Ostertag and often buy his Muenchberg riesling, which I think is usally a great value, despite being a kermit import!
 
Nice thread - my Alsace horizons are too limited.

Surprised about the Breton VV: I thought this would be a heavy-duty cellaring Beaujolais.
 
Heavy duty and cellarworthy are very different. This is a very good wine. Cellaring bretty wines is always risky though.

Thanks to all for the reco's. Boxler here I come!
 
I don't know if this thread is going to bring him out of the shadows, Josh, but you will find volumes (possibly an understatement) of information on most of the producers mentioned here by typing "Alsace" into WD's search engine. Look especially for the double, triple, quadruple entendre thread titles...
 
I was underwhelmed by the 2009 Boxlers. I think the ripeness of the vintage, combined with their normally broad style - made for wines that were not to my taste (too sweet).

Recommendations depend on availability. Many of the wines from Alsace only get to small areas of the US and don't have very broad distribution.
 
originally posted by mlawton:
I was underwhelmed by the 2009 Boxlers. I think the ripeness of the vintage, combined with their normally broad style - made for wines that were not to my taste (too sweet).

Recommendations depend on availability. Many of the wines from Alsace only get to small areas of the US and don't have very broad distribution.
Click to expand...

Aside from the vagueries of climate change, etc. The Sommerberg riesling is one of the great wines made in Alsace.
 
I do like Boxler Sommerberg in all it's variations/codes in less-ripe years when the RS is low. Unfortunately, many recent examples have not fit in that box and I find that when significant RS is there, the things that I like about Riesling from Alsace tend not to be (or are obscured by the sweetness).

In general, on my last trip, most were offering only 2009s for tasting and I didn't find much to like there. But I did develop a real love for Pinot Noir from Alsace, especially Scheuller.

PG and Gewurtztraminer are a different story entirely and I look for different things there.
 
originally posted by maureen:
I too like Ostertag and often buy his Muenchberg riesling, which I think is usally a great value, despite being a kermit import!
Click to expand...

I tend to buy the Ostertag A360P Muenchberg Pinot Gris every year. I enjoy the style, its label design, and the way the wine evolves over time.

-Eden (not a bad idea for a personalized license plate either):
100_1632.jpg
 
originally posted by Eden Mylunsch:
originally posted by maureen:
I too like Ostertag and often buy his Muenchberg riesling, which I think is usally a great value, despite being a kermit import!
Click to expand...

I tend to buy the Ostertag A360P Muenchberg Pinot Gris every year. I enjoy the style, its label design, and the way the wine evolves over time.

-Eden (not a bad idea for a personalized license plate either):
100_1632.jpg
Click to expand...

I like this car better:

Huet_in_car_I.jpg
And this one:

Huet_and_Sasha-2.jpg
 
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