Alsace, Jura & Savoie

Alsace is an area full of individuality in everything it does ‒ food, buildings, scenery and, of course, wines, which are very different to any other region of France.

As in many places, the fat ground produces good, standard, everyday wines while the ‘grand cru’ vineyards are on the slopes, although the process of deciding what is and isn’t a grand cru has been beset by politics and vested interests. Perhaps the producers should move away from the German style ‘flutes’ for some styles, but don’t let this bottle shape dissuade you from trying the clean, fresh Pinot Blancs, the rich and intense Pinot Gris and the exotic and floral Gewurztraminers – they are normally drier than you would expect!

In Jura, this is an area full of individuality in everything it does ‒ food, buildings, scenery and, of course, wines, which are very different to any other region of France.
As in many places, the flat ground produces good, standard, everyday wines while the ‘grand cru’ vineyards are on the slopes, although the process of deciding what is and isn’t a grand cru has been beset by politics and vested interests. The wines are as individual as the region and very different to those elsewhere in France. Perhaps the producers should move away from the German style ‘flutes’ for some styles, but don’t let this bottle shape dissuade you from trying the clean, fresh Pinot Blancs, the rich and intense Pinot Gris and the exotic and floral Gewurztraminers – they are normally drier than you would expect!