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This Week's Must-Try Wines from Vinous

Welcome to this week's Must-Try Wines from Vinous! Each week we compile a list of wines from the Vinous database that you need to add to your wine wish list. With all the various regions, producers, and grapes, no week will be the same! All of the wines listed in this feature are available for purchase on Banquet . This week's must-try wines are from Anne Krebiehl’s article, Alsace 2020s and 2021s: Just like Janus . Enjoy an excerpt from this article and reviews below! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ “Two fundamentally different vintages, the hot 2020 and the problematic 2021, form the basis of my first Alsace report for Vinous. It turns out that the best producers came up with some stunning wines – negotiating and countering the heat in 2020 and sorting, sorting, sorting to produce exceptional wines with a wonderful acidic backbone in 2021, a year beset by mildew.” --Anne Krebiehl, Alsace 2020s and 2021s: Just like Janus, April 2023 1. 2020 Domaine Amélie & Charles Sparr Altenbourg Riesling 2. 2020 Domaine Amélie & Charles Sparr Schoenenbourg 'Revelation' Alsace Grand Cru Riesling 3. 2020 Domaine Weinbach Furstentum Alsace Grand Cru Gewürztraminer 4. 2021 Henry Fuchs Riesling 5. 2018 Domaine Ostertag Fronholz Vendanges Tardives Gewürztraminer

Domaine Ostertag

Fronholz Vendanges Tardives Gewürztraminer 2018

Delectable Wine
9.2

With 120 g/L of residual sweetness, the 2018 Gewurztraminer Fronholz Vendanges Tardives opens with notions of blossom honey, Damask rose and juicy lychee. The mouthfeel is luscious, round and brimming with sweet yellow peach compote. The rose perfume pervades everything with its floral intensity. This is a dessert in itself, concentrated less by botrytis than by passerillage, preserving the varietal integrity and a super-charged purity of fruit. This needs careful pairing but will outlast us all. (Anne Krebiehl, Vinous, April 2023) — a year ago

Domaine Charles Sparr

Tradition Alsace Riesling 2020

Delectable Wine
9.4

The 2020 Riesling Altenbourg comes from vines that are now 60-70 years old, originally sourced in the Mosel region and planted on the limestone of lieu-dit Altenbourg in Kientzheim. The 2020 was made in stainless steel to prevent this rich vintage from becoming even richer in foudre. The nose is still a little closed but allows glimpses of ripe peach and chalky stone. The palate is absolutely lemon-focused but married to that cool, chalky depth. Even in the hot vintage of 2020, this seems to shrug off any notion of heat and channels all its flavors into precise, citric, cool limestone depth. Wow. Bone-dry finish. (Anne Krebiehl, Vinous, April 2023) — a year ago

Henry Fuchs

Hagel Ribeauvillé Riesling 2021

Delectable Wine
8.8

This estate 2021 Riesling is the biggest seller of the domaine. It is a blend of all the non-marl terroir from the valley where soils are sandier. There is lovely, bright, juicy citrus on the nose, think lemon and a touch of tangerine with Mirabelle plum. These fruits also lead a merry dance on the light, easy palate. Lovely concentration nonetheless, with a bone-dry finish. (Anne Krebiehl, Vinous, April 2023) — a year ago

Charles Sparr

Grand Cru Schoenenbourg Riesling 2020

Delectable Wine
9.5

Grown on various parcels, mainly in the gypsum soils, the 2020 Riesling Schoenenbourg Grand Cru was vinified in stainless steel. It has a peppery, earthy, herbal aspect that soon verges into ripe peach and dried lemon peel. The vivid acidity of the palate seems buffered by layers of chalk. All the precision and coolness of the soil is there, making the mouth water, enticing you to take another sip of this sleek, energetic wine. Bone-dry. (Anne Krebiehl, Vinous, April 2023) — a year ago

Domaine Weinbach

Furstentum Alsace Grand Cru Gewürztraminer 2020

Delectable Wine
9.4

From the limestones of this grand cru, the 2020 Gewurztraminer Furstentum Grand Cru is not heady at all; on the contrary, there is a subtle hint of honeysuckle and pink peach. This was made from vines that are about 90 years old. The concentration is spectacular; the supple generosity is utterly juicy. The peachy juiciness combines with bitter almond and orange zest, creating a mouth-watering mid-palate. The 35 g/L of residual sugar is accommodated with aplomb. The finish speaks of orange peel freshness. (Anne Krebiehl, Vinous, April 2023) — a year ago