Alsace Mini Expo 2024

A liqueur based on eight year old Poire William eau de vie. How can it be bad? Stewed pears in a sweet, syrupy liqueur with a touch of vanilla.

Very fresh and bright with effusive pink grapefruit and lilac aromas from the warm, dry growing season. I love this wine’s zesty personality and the wonderful mineral freshness that gives the long finish a terrific kick. This almost pure muscat a petits grains. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink now. STUART PIGOTT, jamessuckling.com

The 2022 Riesling Roche Calcaire is harvested across the limestone soils of the estate from vines that do not make it into the single vineyards. In 2022, this was restricted to the marl and limestone soils of the village of Gueberschwihr, around the Goldert Grand Cru, a site that Humbrecht calls "virtually drought-proof." The nose still flickers with yeasty funk and lovely, flinty reduction, but even this funkiness does not obscure the vibrant lemon and orange peel. The palate is fresh but so buffered, with stunning limestone smoothness wrapping itself around a central vein of bright freshness. This is lip-smacking and approachable. It's friendly and bright already. The finish shines with a tart yellow apple. (Bone-Dry) ANNE KREBHIEL MW

Brimming with star fruit, bergamot and flint, this is a dangerously fresh and minerally dry riesling for this warm and dry vintage. Terrific drive right through the bone-dry palate, the slate and Amalfi lemon zest at the finish strident. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. STUART PIGOTT, jamessuckling.com

At once juicy, concentrated and refined, this is a stunning wine that is intended for more or less everyday drinking. A wealth of stone fruit and fresh almond aromas, plus a touch of mandarin oranges. Stunning balance and finesse at the very long, silky finish. STUART PIGGOT

An extraordinarily fine and fresh wine for this grape variety. What an excitingly smoky nose this youthful dry gewurz has. Very cool and silky with a delicate touch of bitterness that gives this an extra kick in the extremely long finish that’s clean and linear. (95) STUART PIGGOT

The vines for this 2021 Pinot Blanc Clos Sand were planted in 2013. It was first vinified as a single vineyard in 2018. This is a granitic site, at 400m of altitude, enclosed by forest, looking south-east. Matured in a mix of stainless steel and used 300-liter barrel, because there was not enough wine to fill a foudre , this spent 11 months on gross lees. The nose is shy, with mere suspicions of lemon. The palate is sylph-like but wonderfully juicy and rounded in its concentrated slenderness. It has the richness of yeast and strikes a beautiful balance. Very elegant, finishing with pristine lemon purity. (Bone-dry) ANNE KREBIEHL MW, Vinous

The 2021 Sylvaner Rosenberg is made from old vines, planted in 1969/1970, so just over 50 years old. The nose has a faint hint of melted butter and hazelnut. The small harvest meant that it needed to go into used barrique, because there was not enough to fill a foudre. The result is very creamy and smooth, on a slender body, with much lemon freshness. While svelte, this is generous and gorgeously smooth. (Bone-dry) ANNE KREBIEHL MW, Vinoua

The 2022 Sylvaner Vieilles Vignes opens with russet pear peel, suggesting ripeness and texture, which duly follow the palate, which is slightly crunchy with phenolics. These take the place of more freshness on a smooth, concentrated body with supple edges of pithiness. (Bone-Dry) ANNE KREBIEHL MW, Vinous

One reason I never miss a chance to visit Jean Dirler and his family is that the Dirler-Cadé estate in Bergholtz makes outstanding wines from several different Alsace varieties. Its Sylvaner, a grape often treated as an afterthought in Alsatian wine-production circles, is especially noteworthy. I do not feel that I am exaggerating when I describe it as a world-class wine the fact that it ages extremely well is an added bonus.

The Rieslings in particular are exceptionnal: impressive saline tension for the Kitterlé, all about vigor and smoky brightness for the finish, straight wine, sharp, profound, with an extraordinary persistence and intensity. The Kessler, offers a myriad of vibrant flavours, the finish is overflowing with energy and anise brightness. Very young, the Searing offers a dazzling breath of light, and the Spiegel displays a radiant fruit and a vibrant, intense persistence- it's a stunning wine. IAN D'AGATA

From a sorting in the Grands Crus Kessler & Saering and in the lieu-dit Belzbrunnen - 2.3 g/l residual sugar

The 2020 estate Pinot Noir spent nine months in one-year-old demi-muids (500L). The nose has that enticing iron-oxide notion and leads onto a slender but sinuous body. Tannins are very fine and smooth. The freshness, despite the hot year, is mouth-watering. This focuses on brightness and tender red fruit and makes a virtue of being translucent, soft and wonderfully tart with red fruit. (Bone-dry) ANNE KREBIEHL MW, Vinous

A beautiful combo of fresh and canned summer peaches picked at the perfect point of ripeness. This one on some vanilla bean ice cream is a perfect combination.