WBW #10 - Domaine Paul Blanck Pinot Blanc D'Alsace

I really wish I could remember where I got this wine from the Alsace region. I’d like to go back for another… gotta be one of the usual local suspects, but just haven’t noticed it recently. But I’m glad to have had an opportunity to dig this one out, enjoy it and research it a bit.

Anyway, better late than never for WBW #10. I appreciate the mention by Alice in the WBW #10 round-up despite the late arrival. This month’s theme was white pinots, and I can’t think of a better representative than this one.

The first time I really remember taking note of anything called a “Pinot Blanc” was in Brugge Belgium several years ago. We found a restaurant just off the main square there and a Pinto Blanc from Alsace was recommended with our meal by the waiter. Not surprisingly, given the geographic proximity, Alsatian wines seemed to be very popular in Belgium. Whatever wine we were served, (didn’t make a note of it then) since that time I’ve made a point of looking for Pinot Blancs from Alsace and that’s how I happened to pick up this one.

The Blanck family, starting with Hans Blanck, acquired their first vines in the Alsace region as far back as 1610(!) Based on what I read at their web site, the family has been involved in one way or the other with producing wines ever since. This Pinot Blanc comes from a line of wines they call their “mineral wines”. Those “which express the plenitude of limestone, the sweetness and firmness of clay, the harmony of manganese an the racy bouquet and power coming from silica”. This wine does indeed have a mineral note to it.

The CNN Money online edition also has a pretty good article about Alsatian wines and mentions Paul Blanck as a label to look for.

Interesting to note also that this wine uses a Stelvin cap rather than cork.

Price

Less than $20 – I otherwise can’t recall exactly. No paper trail.

Overall

 Very good. Crisp, very light green apple fruit with mineral finish. Went well paired up with seafood (some baked Talapia in this case). I’ll look for it again.

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