Alsace | 2011 vintage
After a 2010 which saw volumes drop 20 to 30% below average, all too many wine growers were tempted to let the year drift by and their yields were too high to obtain concentrated wines. By contrast, the best wine growers operating along organic or biodynamic lines (of which there are many in Alsace, fortunately) have produced a successful vintage, which is elegant and subtle with a fine, easy-drinking balance. The gap is widening between these wine growers (always ranked more highly in the RVF and Bettane + Desseauve guides) and the mass of wine-makers who are happy to produce wines without any particularly distinctive features. Even for the best, 2011 is not a vintage with great ageing potential, but the wines will be very pleasant to drink young.
