Lidl has become quite a reliable place for Alsace wines. Invariably Alsace wines feature in their seasonal wine sales. I am particularly impressed with their ‘Vieille Vignes’ range from the Bennwihr Cooperative and J.P. Muller’s (sous marque from Arthur Metz in Marlenheim) Riesling Grand Cru wines. The 2017 autumn and Christmas sales had some nice examples again and I list here a few of my favourites. These wines are still available in most Lidl shops in Northern Ireland at the time of writing.

Bennwihr Cooperative Pinot Gris Grand Cru Marckrein 2016 (£10.49)

Nice to see another Alsace Grand Cru at a UK supermarket. This is definitely not off dry, but more towards a medium sweet style. Honeysuckle and some tropical fruits on the nose, flavours of ripe orchard fruits and a very long finish with some welcome acidity. I think this will get more balanced with another 3-4 years of bottle age. What to eat with this? I had this with a creamy blue veined cheese which worked well. It might be a bit too sweet for Asian dishes. It would be perfect with foie gras. And fruity deserts would probably work well too. I guess you just have to get yourself a bottle and experiment.

 

Jean Cornelius Gewurztraminer 2016 (£6.99)

Gewurztraminer is a ‘marmite’ type grape; you either love it or hate it. It is really aromatic grape with scents of roses, Turkish delight, and tropical fruits like pineapple. This is a very typical example. I found it a bit lean on the mid-palate, but I like my Gewurztraminer either dry or big and bold. This will appeal to the Gewurztraminer novice, as it is quite a gentle introduction to this grape. This will be a good accompaniment with all sorts of Asian dishes. I think its tropical fruit flavours work really well with dishes with coconut.

Bennwihr Cooperative Pinot Blanc Vieille Vignes 2016 (£5.99)

Very drinkable stuff, this old vines range from the Bennwihr Cooperative. Their Sylvaner is always a delight, the Gewurztraminer is pleasantly dry, and this Pinot Blanc has a lovely softness to it, without being flabby. Ripe fruits and good balancing acidity make this a very versatile wine, with food or on its own. This would be very nice on a Saturday evening with a plate of charcuterie. This is tremendous value at £5.99.