April Alsace

My personal wine preferences shift over time. When it comes to white wine, I started out liking them sweet, then I preferred a lot of oak, and then I was all about heavy citrus, and now I'm enjoying the mild, mineral, and surprisingly complex wines of Alsace. Early in my wine education I'd found them flat and boring, but now there's so much more that I can appreciate when I open those tall, slender bottles.

I reviewed two of these Alsatian whites in January for the Super Bowl, and they remain great. But I was excited to try the third from a producer who is new to me. I hope to explore many more wines from this fascinating region in the future.

Domaine Paul Blanck & Fils goes back to 1610 when the family's Austrian ancestor purchased his first vineyard in Alsace. They have a broad product line, though this one represents the introductory level with a convenient screwcap.

2011 Blanck Pinot Blanc
Kientzheim/Riquewihr, Alsace
100% Pinot Blanc
$14, 12.5% abv.

This is probably the most German-style wine I've had from Alsace. The nose was a little musky with a hint of petrol, and might easily be mistaken for a Riesling in a blind tasting. The style is medium dry with a round mouthfeel and the darker flavors continue on the palate. I had the pleasure of serving this with Easter lunch, where I found that it was incredible with ham and deviled eggs.

Note: These wines were received as samples.