Bubbly to kick start 2008

I hope you all had a good time on New Year’s Eve. In Germany, sekt is the traditional drink with which to celebrate. Although there are some good premium sekts made with the Méthode Champenoise there is a huge amount of cheap, sweet, fizzy stuff that is mostly found at office parties. Many vintners now carbonate the wine to give it sparkle rather than through fermentation. This avoids the infamous ‘Sekt Steuer’ or Sekt Tax. This tax was introduced by the last Kaiser as a ‘tax-the-rich’ measure to finance his naval build up prior to WW I. Like all temporary taxes it has not gone away. It was briefly withdrawn at the end of the 1920s but then reintroduced by the National Socialists in the 1930s to help finance the building of the U-Boot fleet.

I prefer to drink appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) Crémant d’Alsace, which is exclusively made with the Méthode Champenoise. Delicate and lively, Crémants are made mainly from Pinot Blanc, but also from Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Riesling and from Chardonnay. Today, Crémant d'Alsace is the leading sparkling wine on the French domestic market. Crémant Rosé is made exclusively from Pinot Noir. A good source is Wolfberger near Colmar (a delightful old town, to the south of Strasbourg).

The strong Alsatian wine cooperative ensures extremely high standards balanced by competitive prices. To you and me this means good drinking at good prices.

In Alsace, the locals do not drink champagne.

Crémant d'Alsace should keep for four to five years, if stored between 10 and 15 degrees Celsius. Serve it just like champagne, chilled at 5 to 7 degrees Celsius in a fluted or tulip-stemmed glass. A good Crémant is pale, with a golden sheen, light and subtle in flavor. You can taste hints of the fresh fruits and flowers that bloom on the Alsatian hillsides, but it is at the same time discreet and uncomplicated. Expressing perhaps the duality of the Alsatian nature, Crémant remains an elegant, reserved wine even as it effuses bubbles of conviviality.

Typical Alsatian grapes:
Gewurtztraminer: Spicy, racy, with an elegant bouquet. As good as an aperitif as it is with dessert.
Muscat d'Alsace: Dry, with a delicious fresh-grape bouquet. Excellent as an aperitif and party wine.
Pinot blanc (Klevner, Clevner): A supple, elegant, well-balanced, all-occasion wine.
Pinot noir: A dry, delectably fruity rosé, perfect for picnics, especially good with fowl.
Riesling: Virile, dry, lightly fruited, with a bouquet of great finesse, the King of Alsatian wines is the perfect accompaniment for an elegant meal, particularly fish and shellfish.
Sylvaner: Fresh, fruity, dry, occasionally with a hint of bubbles. Very agreeable with hors d'oeuvres and seafood.
Tokay d'Alsace (pinot gris): Dry and opulent, with a discreet fruity taste. Alsatians favour it to accompany foie gras, succulent roasts, and hearty but fine foods.