Domaines Schlumberger Grand Cru Kessler Gewurztraminer 2005 in Alsace France

Domaines Schlumberger Grand Cru Kessler Gewurztraminer 2005 is from a single Grand Cru vineyard in Guebwiller in Alsace which is in Eastern France near the border of Germany. This wine came from Slurp and cost £18.35 and as is more common in Alsace due to its weather ( warm autumns and low rainfall due to the vosges mountains) the vineyard is run biodynamically and Domaines Schlumberger is one of the largest vineayard owners  in Alsace. This wine has won awards and indeed in Decanter November 2009  it was a 5star Decanter Award Winner and also a silver award in the 100+ Alsace Grand Cru wines tested.

This wine has a characteristic deepish gold colour - the grape Gewurztraminer often has quite a deep gold colour. Floral, deeply perfumed aromas of elderflower and roses promise what is to come, aromatics  also include grape and lychee. Once tasted the aromas are carried through to the palate with additional white stone fruits, the acidity is no higher than medium, again normal for this grape variety, the alcohol is warming but balanced. The wine feels silky in the mouth and the length is good, spicy to the end with roses, citric waves and stone fruits layered and complex with a lovely bitter, dry finish.
This is a wine is full and lush with amazing vivacity considering its age - but the pedigree says it all.

Grand Cru Brand Pinot Gris Cave de Turkheim Alsace France 2008

Grand Cru Brand Pinot Gris 2008 is a wine made by Cave de Turkheim using the Pinot Gris grape which as expected is situated in Turkheim, a lovely village with some great restaurants and friendly people. We visited the Turkheim in October 2009 when they were just finishing the harvest and the smell of fermentation filled the air in many of the villages of the region.
Michel Lihrmann has been their senior winemaker for over 25 years and produces some high quality wines which are exported all over the world and have a good reputation. Grand Cru defines the vineyard (by local regualtion and is strictly defined and registered by law allied to production methods of the highest standards ) as having a very special “terroir” and the resulting wine should reflect the finest attributes of the grape variety Brand is such a vineyard.
The wine is pale gold and with quite intense aromas of cooked pears, caramel and honey with  overriding floral notes - it invites you to sip!
There is some sweetness to the wine, residual fruit sugar which implies honey but overall it is off dry, good acidic backbone balancing the alcohol which is well integrated ( 13.5%) and flavours of pear, cooked apple, tropical fruits with some sweet spice mixed in. The length is good, with a dry, clean finish.  Overall my thoughts on this wine are that it is a well made rich, crisp wine with a silky texture that works with many dishes from Thai, chicken and fruit puddings - Enjoy!
Supplied by Slurp at a price of £16.60, not bad value for such a beautiful wine.