Alsace - Kosher French Wines

Alsace is known for its exceptional white wines. While the region also produces some red wine, mainly Pinot Noir, they are known for their Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Crement d'Alsace as well as Pinot Gris. Located in Northeast France along the border with Germany, this wine region has been at the center of a war zone between the late 19th century and early 20th century, changing hands between German and French control several times.

While Alsace is in the North of France and close to the cool-climate Baden wine region of Germany the climate is actually quite warm and dry. The Vosges Mountains which run along the western edge of the region provide a protective rain cover for the vineyards. This allows for the grapes to ripen evenly and lead to aromatic, flavorful, fuller bodied wines. Interestingly, while most wine regions in France name their wines by region (think Bordeaux, Sancerre, Champagne) wines from Alsace are named by varietal, with Crement d'Alsace being the exeception.

Alsatian wines are generally very reasonably priced for their quality, offering great value. The Crement d'Alsace is produced in the traditional method (with a second fermentation in the bottle - like in Champagne) and despite this method you can often find these wines for under $35 per bottle. Alsace also has Reserve and Grand Cru wines, with the Gustave Lorentz wines as a premium example of Grand Cru Alsatian wines.