But I'm all for good wine, even when I'm not totally convinced of the biodynamic process behind it. I'll also be the first to admit that I don't totally "get" the whole biodynamic thing. I've read about it over the past month to see if I could educate myself, but I'm still not sure I'm totally on the same page with what is going on. Protecting the environment and trying to use the land with the least harmful impact is great in my book, I'm just not sure I buy into all the swirling of things in a certain way and burying items at proper times in the skulls of animals. Nonetheless, what I drank tonight was a fabulous bottle of wine.This bottle of Zind Humbrecht 2004 Pinot D'Alsace came highly recommended as a biodynamically produced wine from the associate at the Curious Grape after she kindly check in their computer for me to make sure that it was indeed biodynamically produced. It ran $23, had a real cork closure and is 13% alcohol by volume.
This is a blend of two different grapes, in 2004 it was made of 70% Auxerrois and 30% Pinot Blanc. On the nose of this wine I get honeysuckle, tons of minerals and exotic spices. There's also a hint of citrus and I almost want to say that it's a clementine orange. In the mouth there is citrus, with a hint of the honey I got on the nose. It is crisp and biting and has a long mineral filled finish.
I paired this with the last of Roz's Zuppa Toscano recipe and it actually wasn't a half bad match. The soup is both spicy (with the Italian sausage) and creamy (with the whipping cream) and the tart acidity and excellent structure of the Zind held up well to the flavors.
Given the opportunity I would buy this wine again. It's a bottle right up my alley with the crip citrus flavors and the lasting minerals. I'm also a sucker for an aromatic nose that follows through in the mouth. Even Matt proclaimed this a "tasty wine" and he's usually not one for a wine that is mostly tart and crisp on the flavors.
Thanks to Fork and Bottle for hosting this month's WBW and for making me step out of my normal zone to search for a new wine.
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Love the wacky glass for WBW! It seems like we all got lots of minerals in our wines--which is interesting, given the fact that people drank wines from all over, made from different kinds of grapes. Hmmm.
1/18/07, 1:44 PM
Hey Dr. Debs- They are wacky glasses...picked up as a favor at some formal event many moons ago, though Matt put them in the dishwasher, so the logo is long gone!
I did notice as I've been poking around everyone's sites today that there is an overwhelming review of the taste or scent of minerals in these wines. I look forawrd to seeing the rest of the reviews.
1/18/07, 3:53 PM
First, I don't think that glass is legal for WBW! The only one approved for use is Movia stemware. (Movia's the biodynamic winery in Slovenia that also has a line of very cool wine glasses.)
I haven't had it recently, but I've had 4 or 5 different vintages of ZH Pinot d'Alsace. It's always a very nice, food-friendly wine. Used to see it by-the-glass, too, but again, not recently.
1/18/07, 7:18 PM
Hey Jack! No one told me anything about special WBW glasses! ;D And, please, no more wine glasses for me, not until I break every last one we currently own. With so many vineyards foisting their glassware on us, my cabinets are bursting.
I did find that it seemed like a fairly versatile wine. I'd definitely get it again, though I can't say I recall ever seeing it on a menu around here...I'll keep my eye out though!
Thanks again for hosting!
1/18/07, 9:05 PM
okay that does it - i am trying a zind humbrecht asap. sounds too good to miss out.
1/25/07, 12:48 AM
Brooklynguy-It was definitely pretty tasty! I'd certainly get it again, I'd like to try it with some different food pairings, as I think it would good fairly well with lots of different things, though I am leaning towards a spicier Asian influenced dish!
1/29/07, 9:16 AM