Alsace Wine Festival Singapore 2016

These notes come from the inaugural Alsace Wine Festival held at the American Club, Singapore, on 05 March 2016, organised by the Alsace Wine & Gastronomy Society of Singapore, graced by the presence of Leon Beyer himself. The AWGS was founded only two years ago and this event would not have been possible without the energy and enthusiasm of its founding President Julian Teoh and the organising committee. Please contact me through this blog if you wish to join the Society.

2014 Leon Beyer Sylvaner. Grassy elements, light-bodied citrus, delicate, refreshing, easy-going.

2011 Leon Beyer Riesling. Great riesling character. Highly aromatic hinting at petroleum fumes. Dry with crisp acidity and generous citrus, lengthy finish. Bouquet is absolutely wonderful. Almost hedonistic.

2013 Leon Beyer Pinot Gris. Gentle with the lifted fragrance of white flowers. Medium-bodied. Great balance. Subtle acidity. Good length.

2013 Leon Beyer Gewurztraminer. Grassy elements with the complex fragrance of lychees, light-medium weight, gentle with understated acidity.

2012 Josmeyer Pinot Gris Auxerrois VV. Understated sweetness. Solid core of tropical fruits and grassy notes, excellent definition, displaying good acidity and attack, great persistence, lingers on long after its finish.

2012 Josmeyer Dragon Riesling. Possesses some classic oily character of rieslings with a hint tropical fruit underscored by saline minerals. Dry.

2011 Marcel Deiss Riesling. Lovely nose. Gentle fragrance of white flowers. Rather dry, austere in demeanour. Short.

2012 Marcel Deiss Riesling.  Understated bouquet, medium-bodied with mild minerality. Not quite as characterful. Underwhelming.

2012 Marcel Deiss Berckem. A blend of several fruit varieties. Lovely nose hinting at nectarine with forward fruit balance and grassy overtones. Good presence. Very pleasant.

2008 Marcel Deiss Burlenberg Pinot Noir. Gentle aromas of dark roses with a mild earthy pungency, light-medium, dry with dusty textures. Not quite distinguished.

2007 Marcel Deiss Altenberg de Bergheim Grand Cru. Medium-bodied, gentle on the palate with floral aromas and subtle sweetness, displaying good delineation.

2007 Hugel Gewurztraminer. Generous aromas of apricot, seared caramel and mild nectarine on the nose and palate. Rounded, open and fairly ample with a burnished tone. Lovely.

2008 Hugel Gewurztraminer. Lovely aromas of a summer garden with flowers in full bloom, rounded with excellent balance and understated sweetness and persistent finish. Beautiful.

2014 Hugel Riesling. Open with grassy elements, rounded, rather minerally and dry at the finish.

Julian loves Hugel. Photo by Peter Wong

2014 Hugel Estate Riesling. Lovely fragrance melons tropical fruit minerally dry good fullness

2013 Hugel Pinot Gris. Lovely bouquet of citrus and lemongrass. Amply proportioned, zesty and vibrant with subtle intensity, displaying excellent definition and linearity. Great mouthfeel. Excellent.

2013 Marc Kreydenweiss Riesling Andlau. Forward bouquet of red apples. Dry and minerally on the palate.

2008 Marc Kreydenweiss Kastelberg Grand Cru. Attractive aromas of minerals and white roses on the nose, but dry and intense on the palate. Stern finish driven by minerals.

2008 Schlumberger Riesling Kitterle Grand Cru. Notes of apricot and subdued nectarine, very minerally on the palate, dry with subtle intensity, finishing with a saline afternote. Attractive.

2012 Schlumberger Riesling Verdanges Tardives. Lovely seductive bouquet of tightly-knit apricot and nectarine, quite ample, displaying excellent linearity and definition, finishing with great persistence. Excellent.

2006 Schlumberger Riesling Ketterle. Lifted aromas, chromatic tone, minerally and stern, softened by understated sweetness.

Photo by Peter Wong

2007 Trimbach Cuvee Frederic Emile Riesling. Lovely riesling character. Abundance of white flowers and petroleum fumes, highly lifted and intense, driven by dry saline minerals on the palate, spicy and tight. Excellent.

2013 Trimbach Pinot Gris Reserve. Mild incense, citrus and grassy elements. Good intensity, understated sweetness, smooth lingering finish. Great mouthfeel.

2014 Weinbach Riesling Schlossberg. Fragrance of white flowers. Highly aromatic. Gentle with good presence and understated acidity. Great balance. Excellent.

Even Dr NK Yong is here! Photo by Lyndie Tang

2014 Weinbach Gewurztraminer. Highly aromatic though somewhat subdued on the palate with controlled tones of apricot and caramel, displaying good linearity with subtle intensity.

2009 Zind-Humbrecht Brand Riesling. Very attractive deep bouquet of lychees and tropical fruit, good complexity, sprightly and very well-balanced with subtle intensity and acidity. Excellent.

2013 Zind-Humbrecht Gewurztraminer. Aromatic but awkward at this stage, as if it cannot decide between itself and riesling.