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The Proverbial Crisp White Wine
The Proverbial Crisp White Wine
by Anthony Lynch by Anthony Lynch
2018 Pinot Blanc “Vieilles Vignes”
2018 Pinot Blanc “Vieilles Vignes”
Félix Meyer
Meyer-Fonné France | Alsace | Alsace
There comes a time every day—generally around 6 o’clock—when a hankering for something cold and crisp emanates from within. We crave a refreshing glass of white to alleviate thirst and cleanse the day’s lingering cocktail of doubts and worries, admittedly more antagonizing than usual in these surreal times.
Félix Meyer’s old-vine Pinot Blanc from the slopes of Katzenthal, in Alsace, has long overdelivered in the role of the proverbial “crisp white” for which we long. It has obvious thirst-quenching properties, expressed in the form of perky acidity and a mouth-watering, almost smoky mineral note that grabs hold of the back of the palate. But it also carries generous flesh, like the succulent texture of farmers’ market stone fruits, enlivened by an exotic bolt of lime.
Perhaps due to the fifty-year-old vines, plus Félix’s liberal interpretation of “Pinot Blanc”—the blend also includes Pinot Gris and Pinot Auxerrois—this crisp blanc does far more than what its price point might suggest. The first glass may satisfy our craving for something cold quite swimmingly, but the second reveals a nuanced wine of real substance.
Félix Meyer
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2018 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 65% Pinot Auxerrois, 20% Pinot Blanc, 15% Pinot Gris |
Appellation: | Alsace |
Country: | France |
Region: | Alsace |
Producer: | Meyer-Fonné |
Winemaker: | Félix Meyer |
Vineyard: | Planted in 1965 and 1978, 2.5 ha |
Soil: | Granite with Mica, Calcareous Marl |
Farming: | Organic (practicing) |
Alcohol: | 12.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
2020 Sylvaner “Oolithe”
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This bottle gives some of my favorite grand cru Rieslings a run for their money with a nose evoking peach skin and pear and a palate that ripples with fresh acidity.
2020 Riesling Grand Cru “Kaefferkopf”
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Power, intensity, and complexity combine to bring us a Riesling for the ages.
2022 Pinot Gris “Réserve”
France | Alsace
From the exceedingly fine and elegant nose to the creamy and lacy texture, the overall balance and touch, and its hint of salty freshness, this wine shows how understated, finessed, and downright glorious dry Pinot Gris can be in Alsace.
2019 Pinot Gris “Réserve”
France | Alsace
This wine shows how understated, finessed, and downright glorious dry Pinot Gris can be in Alsace.
2022 Riesling Réserve
France | Alsace
Meyer’s Riesling Réserve is a mélange of different terroirs around his domaine in Katzenthal, and is a precise, dry, minerally Riesling loaded with character.
2021 Riesling Grand Cru “Mandelberg Vieilles Vignes”
France | Alsace
The small, sunny Mandelberg cru is already a classic through and through—petrol notes with lush pear, honey, and a tart bite of green apple.
2022 Muscat “Vignoble de Katzenthal”
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Serve it to friends as an apéritif and listen for wows, because this wine’s perfume provokes wows.
2020 Pinot Gris Grand Cru “Kaefferkopf”
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Meyer’s 2020 is lovely stuff—fermented dry, full-bodied in style, it shines at table in a multitude of gastronomic settings with kaleidoscopic range.
2017 Pinot Noir “Altenbourg”
France | Alsace
This is a rich, ample, seductive Pinot with notes of tea leaves, strawberries, and blackberries.
2018 Pinot Gris “Dorfburg”
France | Alsace
That grapes can be cajoled and fashioned to make such a liquid is miraculous. This aroma is beyond belief.
About The Producer
Meyer-Fonné
About The Region
Alsace
Tragically, Alsace might be the most misunderstood wine region of France. In spite of its long history of viticulture and tremendous diversity of pedigreed terroirs, a past fraught with marketing mishaps has left consumers baffled as to what exactly to expect inside one of these mysterious tall, thin bottles.
The good news, on the other hand, is that a new wave of quality-oriented growers is working hard to put Alsace in its rightful place as one of the world’s most fascinating sources of fine white wine. By embracing tradition, respecting terroir, and making a concerted effort to better communicate the countless virtues their wines have to offer, they have succeeded in putting Alsace back on the map.
Crafted from a number of grape varieties and beautifully interpreting the region’s mosaic of soil types, our Alsace imports are by and large dry whites offering exceptional versatility at table. While each of these selections is ready to be uncorked tonight, the finest among them are also capable of maturing for many, many years in a cool cellar. Expect kaleidoscopic aromatics, lively acidities, and loads of terroir transparency in these skillfully crafted masterpieces. Enjoy a foray into the thrilling world of the world’s most underrated wine region, and certainly do not hesitate to contact our sales staff with any questions as you take off on this mouth-watering adventure.
More from Alsace or France
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2020 Pinot Blanc Réserve
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2022 Edelzwicker
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2020 Pinot Gris “Zellberg”
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2022 Pinot
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2019 Gewurztraminer Grand Cru “Furstentum”
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2020 Riesling “Heissenberg”
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2020 Crémant d’Alsace Brut
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2022 Muscat “Vignoble de Katzenthal”
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2022 Edelzwicker
Meyer-Fonné France | Alsace
2020 Pinot Gris “Zellberg”
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2022 Pinot
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2019 Gewurztraminer Grand Cru “Furstentum”
Meyer-Fonné France | Alsace
2020 Riesling “Heissenberg”
Domaine Ostertag France | Alsace
2020 Crémant d’Alsace Brut
Albert Boxler France | Alsace
2019 Pinot Gris “Dorfburg”
Meyer-Fonné France | Alsace
2020 Pinot Gris Grand Cru “Brand”
Albert Boxler France | Alsace
2023 Vin Orange “The New Chapter”
Domaine Ostertag France | Alsace
Vintage Chart Mentality
Vintage Chart Mentality
Trust the great winemakers, trust the great vineyards. Your wine merchant might even be trustworthy. In the long run, that vintage strip may be the least important guide to quality on your bottle of wine.—Kermit Lynch