Last time we had Riesling, it was a German vintage from the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region.  Rieslings from Alsace, France are a different beast.  They retain the fruit, acidity, and floral nose of their German counterparts, but are fermented completely dry, or very nearly so.  The Jean Albrecht 2006 Reserve is a clean, crisp wine that is well suited to summer dining as well as the roasted, toasted flavors of fall.

This wine is as different from the Moselle variety as can be – bracing acidity, big, honeyed aromas, and moderately full body.  If you dislike the sweetness of the German types, Riesling from Alsace may very well be your thing.  They’re under-appreciated wines in the US and, even with the weak dollar, a good value for a wonderfully food-friendly wine.

Details:

Name: Jean Albrecht 2006 Reserve Riesling
Type: White
Country: France
Region: Alsace
Grapes: 100% Riesling
Price: $16

My score: 88 points (out of 100) – solid wine, interesting qualities.

Notes:

Color: greenish-gold

Nose: My initial impression is of clover or golden tupelo honey, canned pears in syrup, and granny smith apple.  The floral component comes through very strongly.  As I get accustomed to the most forward flavors, there are suggestions of ginger and a sweet botanical component.  Maybe mint, maybe licorice root.  A pleasant nose.

First Taste: I like it.  This wine has a good, solid body.  The acidity balances well with the mouth feel and very forward fall-fruit flavors.  The tartness is pleasant, not overwhelming, with lots of green apple flavor and some unripe pear.  Theresa mentions she doesn’t like the drier style as much, but goes back for seconds anyway.

Second Taste: More fall fruit.  I like that the acidity is balanced nicely with the barest hint of residual sugar.  I’m getting some dried apricot coming through.  The finish is moderate, with a transition from the initial fruitiness to honey flavors on the back end.  Leaves a clean, fresh palate.

Impressions: This is a very good food wine.  The acidity works well with meatier fishes (we had blackened rare tuna) and would probably stand up to roasted poultry.  I have a feeling this would be a great Thanksgiving wine – it holds its own against a lot of flavors.  The transition from the attack to the finish is a bit abrupt, with not much interest on the mid-palate.  However, this is a solid dry Riesling and a good sub-$20 pick.

Mosel wines are typically characterized by floral, fruity aromas and fall fruit flavors – apples, pears, quince – their lighter body buoyed up by their aromas and tantalizing tartness on the palate.  Beneath the fruit, a mineral component should be present, a clean minerality like a good artesian water.

Unfortunately, this particular wine did not deliver the goods.  While it delivered solid fruit flavors, it lacked in other areas.  Admitedly, at $11 a bottle, this isn’t a top example of the style, but I’ve had $11-12 QbA wines (unclassified vintages) that have provided more classic Riesling profiles than this QmP (Qualitätswein mit Prädikat).

Details:

Name: Adolph Mueller 2007 Piesporter Michelsberg Riesling Spätlese
Country: Germany
Region: Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Piesport
Grapes: 100% Riesling
Price: $11

My score: 83 points (out of 100) – some good, some bad, doesn’t quite live up to expectations.

Notes:

Nose: Tight out of the bottle.  Not much coming through.  After a good long swirl, there’s some apricot, citrus, and pear there.  There’s an odd green component – I want to say green bell pepper, but that’s not quite right.  Not getting the typical Riesling floral notes, which doesn’t bode well for a Spätlese.

First Taste: The initial sense is sugar.  Rather sweet, but with lots of fruit.  There’s apricot, pineapple, and pear (Theresa agrees on the pineapple).  I’m missing the acidity.  It’s not so lacking as to merit the term “flabby,” but it’s noticeably out of balance.

Second Taste: I’m letting the wine warm up in the glass a bit, and the balance of sweetness and acidity seems to improve a little.  Of course, it could just be my palate getting used to the sugar level.  The nose is still fairly tight, but a little honeysuckle note creeps in – maybe this was that odd green scent I picked up earlier developing as the wine warms.

Impressions: With a little more acidity, this becomes a much more interesting wine.  As it stands, it’s tiringly sweet, better suited to a small glass with fruit for dessert.  A good Riesling plays well with seafood – this would overwhelm it.  Pass on this – for the same price, you can likely find an unclassified Riesling that’s more satisfying.