Domaine Paul Blanck Pinot Gris 2021

It’s getting on for 200 years since the family established a wine business in Kientzheim. For the past 30 years, cousins Frédéric and Philippe Blanck have been in control, placing a sharp focus on the vines and the soil they grow in. The domaine has increased its holdings from 24 to 36 hectares, with five grands crus accounting for more than a third. Sometimes the brilliance of Alsace – its terroir and the spice, minerals, freshness and sweet fruit it delivers – gets overlooked by the wine-drinking world. There’s little chance of that happening with the Blancks around, and we’re very happy to be the ones to help them share it.

The fruit comes from soils of gravel, sand and south-facing clay and limestone. The juice is extracted with infinite care in our air-bag press. The slow, gentle pressing avoids crushing the stalks and pips. The must starts fermenting of its own accord thanks to the natural yeast present in the juice, and the fermentation generally lasts from four to 10 weeks. It is carried out in temperature-controlled stainless-steel vats, in order to maximise the expression of this variety's aromas.

The wine is delightful to look at, with a pale golden yellow hue. Beautifully limpid. Luminous flashes, a twinkling, of pale straw gold. A gentle nose, giving off a subtle aromatic mix of fruit flesh (peaches, nectarines) and cereal grain. The attack is both delicate and concise, conferring liveliness. Has tiny beads of gas, which vanish when confronted with this nicely fleshed-out and sappy body of wine. Exquisite feel, reminiscent of angora wool, with the flavours developing into a smooth balsamic style. A most pleasant wine to quench thirst and provoke meditation.

Bright straw-yellow. Soft orchard fruit scents along with lemon peel and honey on the nose. Then compellingly sappy flavors of crystallized citrus and stone fruits that are rich, ripe and sweet (though the official numbers indicate only 6 g/L of residual sugar). Finishes with very good length and a pure, perfumed finish. Off-dry rather than dry, but pretty irresistible, this Pinot Gris is best paired with richer foods like fish or scallops in cream sauce. With wines like this one, even if on the richer end of the scale, it’s easy to understand why Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio can be such a crowd-pleaser.