François and Geneviève Barmès work their vineyards according to the principles of biodynamie, which among other things, involves labor intensive, organic agriculture – they have the healthiest vines in Alsace.
This proprietary blend is made from the free run juice of Muscat, Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Chasselas, Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner and Chardonnay. A long, dry finish supports the wine’s intense perfume and richness.
Regional History
With the crumbling of the Roman Empire near the end of 5th Century AD, the defeated Germanic Tribes began returning to Gaul via trade routes through Alsace. They settled the military camps built by the Romans to protect a vital economic resource: wine. Thus began a mixing of Gallic, Celtic and Germanic cultures that now characterizes the people (and the wines) of this region.
Alsace has changed nationality many times during the last 1600 hundred years: the Franks, Charlemagne, the Holy Roman Empire, the Habsburgs, and modern Germany. Such has been the fate of this “Land of Unshed Tears.”
The dialect is now so Germanic that when Alsace was liberated from Nazi rule in 1945, the Mayor of Strasbourg posted signs throughout the city reminding Allied troops to ” . . . not forget that you are in a French town, though you may hear a German language.” Wine, however, has remained an important economic resource through all of Alsace’s political upheavals. Currently, it accounts for 10% of all agricultural production.
Regional Foods
Though quite French in style, the regional cuisine is heavily influenced by German culture. Typical Alsace dishes include Choucroute garnie, Lawerknepfle (pork-liver dumplings), white veal sausages, blood sausages, salted pork loin, and Carpes Frites (fried carp).
Goose was largely cultivated and eaten by the very large Jewish population, who did not eat pork. Where braised goose exists, foie gras is never far behind. Typical cheeses of the region: Aromatic washed-rind cheeses such as Munster.
© 2007 Moore Brothers Wine Company