2017 International Alsace Varietals Festival featuring Crémant d’Alsace

Planet Grape Wine Review presented recently during the sold out Educational Session at the 2017 International Alsace Varietals Festival, held at the Mendocino Fairgrounds in Boonville amidst the rolling hills and meadows of California’s Anderson Valley.

Dr. Liz Thach MW and Fred Swan Diploma WSET joined me for a lively panel presentation of the sparkling wines of Alsace, Cremant d’Alsace. We began with a short presentation on the region, varietals, styles and production methods and then led a tasting of four wines. I kicked off the event with a sabering of the delightfully flavorful and elegant Pierre Sparr Brut Rose.

Here are our reviews of the wines:

2013 Albert Mann Extra Brut Crémant d’Alsace US $23 92 points
Delicate and expressive with grapefruit, ripe green apple and yellow plum with focus and freshness from chalky, saline minerality.

NV Willm Crémant d’Alsace Blanc de Noirs Brut US $ 90 points
Expressive, dry, and elegant with fine bubbles and notes of lemon curd, ginger, honey, brioche, raspberry and blackberry.

NV Pierre Sparr Crémant d’Alsace Rose Brut US $22 90 points
Elegant and dry with fine bubbles and notes of strawberry, cherry, watermelon, mint, honey, pecan and crème fraiche.

NV Charles Baur Brut Collection Cremant d’Alsace US $28 89 points
Rich, bold and smoky with notes of caramel apple, crème brulee, bananas foster and guava.

Thank you to Wines of Alsace and Cassidy Havens at Teuwen Communications for providing the wines, to John Cesano and Kacy Palmieri and the team at Anderson Valley Wine Growers Association for inviting us, to Foursight Wine’s Kristy Charles for providing us housing at the lovely, quirky Philo Dome house, to all the volunteers for setting up and pouring the wines and to all the guests who filled the early morning air with great energy.
We’re already looking forward to our next Anderson Valley visit.

Written by Catherine Fallis