Description
Barth René, Pinot Blanc
Longtime SommSelect subscribers know I have a soft spot for Alsace. I’ve visited the region many times, and it’s not just nostalgia for a bygone era that makes it special: This is home to some of the world’s greatest white wine vineyards, and white wine makers, and yet, for reasons I don’t quite understand, you can still find compelling, artisanal aged whites like today’s ’14 at bargain-bin prices.
In fact, when I tasted this textured, lip-smacking Pinot Blanc from Barth René, I couldn’t help but think that some people would dismiss it out of hand because of the price. I thought back to my restaurant days, when wines that were languishing on the list often got a huge sales boost when we raised the price (yes, I’m as baffled by that as you are). If you’re asking yourself how a wine this inexpensive could possibly be good, you’re asking the wrong question—but I’ll answer it anyway by saying, it can, and it is! Market forces have conspired to keep Alsatian wine prices low relative to most of their qualitative peers, so rather than fret about it, take advantage of it! Pinot Blanc is an Alsatian specialty, not as well-known or fashionable as Riesling but a compelling, place-expressive wine in its own right. Today’s transcendent 2014 has all the specs to back it up—low-yielding old-vine fruit, organic farming, meticulous winemaking, and seven years of bottle age—which is not something you get at this price point very often. Then there’s Pinot Blanc’s incredible versatility with food to consider. All in all, I’d say you won’t find more wine for the money anywhere!
The village of Bennwihr, in the heart of Alsace midway between Ribeauvillé and Kayserberg, is home to the Barth René estate. In 1989, having already completed his winemaking studies in both Dijon and Damery, Michel Fonné returned to Alsace from an apprenticeship in California to assume the reins from his retiring uncle, René Barth. Then, in 1997, Michel’s father, Henri, also retired and Michel consolidated the properties under the Barth René banner, now totaling 15 hectares planted to Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Sylvaner. Among other prime sites, Michel owns Grand Cru parcels of Pinot Gris in Marckrain and Riesling in both Mambourg and Schlossberg. Along with fellow Alsatian winemakers with environmental concerns, Michel contributed to the creation of Tyflo, an organization providing official recognition for sustainable agriculture practices. Tyflo is the nickname for Typhlodromus Pyri—a tiny bug which is a natural predator of mites and parasites. He’s also continued his commitment to convert all vineyard sites to organic viticulture and reduce sugar-ripeness levels at harvest to preserve agility and finesse—long the hallmark of noteworthy Alsatian wine.
The overwhelming majority of Pinot Blanc grown in Alsace is intended for Crémant d’Alsace, a sparkling wine containing other allowable varieties produced in extremely large volumes. However, a 100% Pinot Blanc still wine is extremely rare, comparatively speaking, let alone one with significant bottle age. Genetically, Pinot Blanc is a mutation of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris; it is not a purely “white” grape and typically has a rosy, pinkish hue. The pigmented skin imparts color in its juice and a fleshiness to the body of the resulting wine. Alsatian Pinot Blanc tends to have a polished, creamy texture with subtle flavors of almonds, autumnal fruits and floral accents. With a keen eye in the vineyard and a deft touch in the cellar, Pinot Blanc can verge on opulence without sacrificing balance and invigorating freshness.
Michel Fonné crafted today’s 2014 from a 40-year-old parcel planted in clayey limestone soils. The organically grown grapes were harvested then gently pressed, so the juice was extracted slowly and sent to stainless steel tanks to undergo a temperature-controlled, natural fermentation. The wine remained on its fine lees (spent yeasts) for several months prior to a gentle filtration and bottling. Once chilled to 45 degrees, don’t hesitate to allow this wine a 15- to 20-minute decant to release its full potential before splashing into your all-purpose stems. In the glass it shows a mature, bright golden-straw center, turning pale yellow toward the rim. A subtle bouquet emerges, fully integrated with notes of lemon meringue, dried apricot, ripe pear, white flower and an alluring earthy, almost mushroomy scent. The palate is medium to full-bodied with caressing flavors of stone fruit, shitakes, dry spices and a touch of pineapple extract. The wine’s framework remains beautifully intact, marked by clean, bright acidity. A dazzling finishing note of textured, stony minerality laced with a ping of sweetness cues the endless possibilities for food matching. Whether it will be the Alsatian classic choucroute or some new-age kimchi and fried rice, this unicorn 2014 Pinot Blanc is a truly mind-bending bargain! Don’t pass it by!
