European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 16, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Rxx.1 from Alsace by Michael Dresser the Baltimore Sun for 45 years now Alsace winegrowers have been Able to tend their vines without having to worry about tank tread crushing themis has been one of the longest respite in the history of the Beautiful but much scarred Region nestled Between the brooding Vosges mountains and the Majestic Rhine where for centuries frenchmen and germans fought their wars and struggled Tor dominance the names of places and people Are testimony to the mix of cultures Ribe Auville is ust Down the Road from Bergheim French names such As Lucien and Andre precede germanic sounding surnames such As Albrecht and Ostertag in the shops the clerks speak German and French with equal fluency and among themselves they speak a regional dialect All their own the unique cuisine is a blend of German style ingredients and French style preparation Alsace is now making the most of its peace dividend " its exceptional while wines Long overshadowed by those of More glamorous regions have achieved Heights of Quality the Region has never known before and recognition so elusive in the past is slowly beginning to come its Way for Alsace the 1980s have been a highly successful decade. At least three vintages not counting 1989. For which the verdict is not yet in have been arguably great most of the others have been Good to very Good right now the 1988 Vintage is flowing into the marketplace and it appears to be one of the great ones in recent tastings All of the map varieties made in Alsace have shown brilliantly but before getting carried away by the lure of a new and exciting Vintage Consumers would be Wise to take a look at some of the older bottles still on the Market surprisingly generous supplies of the magnificent 1983 and 1985 vintages remain available most of them at prices that have changed Little since their release in most cases it is a risky business to buy while wines that have been lying around on retail shelves Long enough to gather dust most would be quite decrepit at that advanced age but Alsace is different with the possible exception of Germany s Mosel no other wine Region so reliably produces White wines with the Backbone to last a decade or More and few wines alsatian wines of the 1980s Are slowly gaining recognition As exceptional and affordable French wines. Here an alsatian woman pours wine at a local grape Harvest fast. Red or while improve so dramatically in the bottle As a great Alsace wine in a great Vintage exceptional bottles can last Lor 20 to 30 years and rival the greatest White wines of Burgundy and Bordeaux. Thi is especially True of 1983. A recent sampling of the 1983 Alsace wines Lound most to be at a glorious stage of Early maturity exquisitely drinkable now but with years ahead of them especially it they Are transferred promptly to More congenial storage conditions than a store Shell these wines were met with a lot of excitement when they first came out. But for some inexplicable reason interest waned leaving wholesalers with cases piling up in their warehouses now some of these excellent wines Are being dumped onto the Market at bargain basement prices the three Alsace varieties that have the Structure for Long aging Are gewurztraminer. Riesling and plot gris. Gewurztraminer is probably the popular Choice outside Alsace. It is a wonderful spicy variety that excels there As it does nowhere else. Wherever it is planted it produces wine with exotic downright hedonistic flavors but Only in Alsace does in regularly achieve elegance. In other regions particularly California it tends to develop bitter a England English Channel Sis. Shun Kamay flavors that need to be counterbalanced with some sweetness but not in Alsace plot gris. Also known As Tokay d Alsace. Produces Lull bodied velvety smooth wines Wilh a Complex melange of flavors Pear peach null. Tropical fruit along with a pleasant fresh Chalky overtone. These tend to be quite powerful Long lived wines that Appeal to the same palates that enjoy chardonnay. They Are also quite versatile with food. As worthy As these iwo grapes Are. Alsace wine makers generally regard riesling As their brightest Star. This is the same variety thai is the Pride of German viticulture but in Alsace it is made m a Bone dry explicitly French style these Are the thinking Man s Alsace wines with a Complex mix of Mineral and fruit flavors that challenges the intellect As it appeals to the senses they can be rather severe when Young but few wines in the world improve so dramatically with age there Are two other important Alsace varieties that Are More suited for Early consumption sylvaner and plot Blanc sylvaner is generally a rather Neutral inoffensive sort of wine Seldom worthy of serious attention but Pool Blanc is an entirely different Mailer plot Blanc along Wilh ils sister grape plot Auxer Rois which can be labelled As a plot Blanc is a kind of Junior version of plot Gas it Seldom reaches classic Heights but it is often very Good and it is generally an excellent Alue. Occasionally you might also encounter a Muscat d Alsace. This is one of the world s few Muscat family wines that is vilified dry the result is a very delicate wine with Aromas of Honey and Lowers these wines can be excellent but they Are not intended Lor Long aging and they work better As ape Lifs than As mealtime wines for Alsace wine Vintage can be either a critical or an inconsequential consideration depending on the producer some wineries such As Zind Humbrecht Jos Meyer and Ostertag tend to make me wines year in and year out with others such As Mure s Clos St land Elm. You need to be More careful prices of Alsace wines have risen in recent years As More and More we Consumers have recognized their qualities still Many Fine examples especially the plot Blanc can be found Lor Well under $10. And even the More expensive vendange tardive Reserve Personelle and designated Vineyard Bolt legs compare favourably with equally priced California chardonnay or White Burgundy Friday february 16, 1990 the stars and stripes Page 13