ABOUT: Alsace is a grand region of glorious wine and the only French wine region that prints the grape variety right there on the label. We love the region for it’s transparency and the wines are so good that it’s a pretty easy affair. Marcel Deiss is a leading biodynamic practitioner in the region making a variety of wines and styles from a myriad of vineyards, but the really interesting thing he does is make field blend wines from Grand Cru sites. This means that the vineyards are planted with a mess of different grapes which are all vinified together and provides an unparalleled impression of the land. Notably, Deiss was the producer who petitioned the Alsace AOC to allow field blends into the Grand Cru system. This La Colline Rouge, made from Riesling and Pinot Gris, is made from the Rotenberg vineyard, which is a component of Deiss’s field blend master plan. TASTE: The La Colline Rouge is made of a co-plantation of Riesling and Pinot Gris from the Rotenberg vineyard. The words written on the back of the bottle explains everything: “The red slope, a magnificent vineyard planted on limestone outcrop sloping gently to the southeast, Rotenberg is like a sentry dutifully watching over the plain below – and it is the earliest ripening terrior of Bergheim. Its red soils are marked by iron and deep chalky fissures, and the ideal, sunny climate allows the co-planting of two grape varieties to shine, less crystalline perhaps than nearby Grasberg, but equally fine and elegant. Rotenberg wines are easy to drink in their youth, fresh and light-bodied, with a lemon-tinged quality, and its flavors pair well with the most noble fish dishes, casting them in a brilliant, almost geological light.” PAIR:Tomato, basil, and caramelized onion tart, roasted apples and red potatoes, crispy baked orange tofu, Bahn Mi Sandwich, and braised fennel and ginger soup.
