By Rose Murray Brown MW    Published in The Scotsman 17 August 2024

Pinot Noir lovers take note.  If you like perfumed precise elegant styles of this grape, there is one region where there has been a quiet renaissance going on in the last three decades – nicknamed ‘the new Noir’.

Traditionally Pinot Noir from the Alsace region, sandwiched between two Pinot Noir strongholds Burgundy and Baden, has been written off as thin or dull.  This noble grape, the only red one allowed in the region’s appellation, was not even given Grand Cru status in Alsace until two years ago.

In 2022 it was announced that Alsace’s top vineyards Hengst and Kirchberg de Barr (pictured below) had achieved this Grand Cru status for Pinot Noir – and earlier this month, Vorbourg vineyard was added to this list allowed to label Pinot Noir as Grand Cru.

This is a clear sign that climate change is making a significant impact on this region.  With this has come a surge in demand for Pinot Noir and leading growers like Bruno Sorg and Albert Mann are grubbing up or grafting over Gewurztraminer, Riesling and Pinot Gris to make way for this noble red grape.

“Alsace struggled to ripen grapes in the past” explained Olivier Humbrecht MW of Domaine Zind-Humbrecht.  “Now temperatures are rising 0.6 degrees C every decade and harvests six to nine days earlier.  In our own Brand vineyard, where we planted Pinot Noir in the 1980s, it is now too hot for Pinot Noir”.  Some growers like Zind-Humbrecht and Weinbach are also planting alternative reds, like Grenache and Syrah, in anticipation of a warmer future.

Pinot Noir has a long history as Alsace’s red grape, back to the Middle Ages.  “There is no direct documentation”, says Alsace expert Anne Krebiehl MW, “but mediaeval church windows are adorned with red grapes and Pinot Noir’s presence here was to do with the growers’ pursuit of spiritual salvation, rather than economic benefit”.

In C14 Duke of Burgundy Philip the Bold’s daughter lived in Alsace and looked after lands here with villages Wettolsheim and Rouffach renowned for reds. Through turbulent years post-1870, when Alsace became German, Pinot Noir died out – but slowly revived post-WW2.

“Albert Mann first planted Pinot Noir in 1963 because he loved to drink red wine”, explained biodynamic grower Jacky Barthelme of Domaine Albert Mann (pictured below on Grand Cru Hengst – one of only three vineyards who have achieved Grand Cru for Pinot Noir).  “The same was true for grower Oscar Mure in 1966 inspired by friends in Burgundy”.

In 1969, there were just 198 hectares of Pinot Noir in Alsace, with white grapes dominating.  Now there are now 2,011 hectares of Pinot Noir making up 13% of the region, admittedly almost half is used for Cremant which is driving demand.  Pinot Noir is popular in Barr, Ribeauville, Turckheim, Kayserberg, Wettolsheim and Rouffach villages; some growers say Pinot Noir could soon account for 30-40% of the region’s production.

Alsace Pinot now has a lushness and succulent fruit style which it never had before – alongside juicy fruit and significant freshness.  The complex soils display a variety of styles, from crisper delicate restrained Pinots from granite to powerful richer styles from limestone marl.

Sweet spots for Pinot Noir in Alsace are Grand Crus Hengst, Kirchberg and Vorbourg – as well as ‘lieu-dits’ Altenbourg, below Grand Cru Furstentum, owned by Domaine Weinbach – and Burlenberg where Marcel Deiss makes impressive Pinot Noir.

The steep 53 hectare Hengst vineyard (pictured above) which towers over Wettolsheim village has the fieriest terroir, sunny location and marl calcareous soil making rich powerful Pinots in keeping with its name ‘stallion’.  Kirchberg in northern Barr, first planted with Pinot in 1987, makes restrained styles from its sheltered southeast exposed site on limestone and clay.  In both vineyards Pinot Noir is less than 10% of plantings, but with increasing demand growers will graft over their Gewurztraminer and Sylvaner.

Alsace has an impressive roster of Pinot Noir producers to look for including Albert Mann, Barmes Buecher, Clos St Landelin of Domaine Mure and Valentin Zusslin, all members of ACT (Alsace Crus et Terroirs), a private organisation of 19 top estates in the region.  In addition, search for Weinbach, Boeckel, Meyer Fonne, Emile Beyer and Marcel Deiss – and for future drinking, the warm vintage of 2022 is looking particularly fine for Alsace Pinot Noir.

I attended two indepth Pinot Noir tastings – one hosted by ACT (Alsace Crus et Terroirs) with Jacky Barthelme of Domaine Albert Mann as presenter (pictured below) – and the other hosted by Alsace Wines (Vins d’Alsace) at Domaine Hering with a view of Kirchberg de Barr (see picture below).

ALSACE PINOT NOIR TO TRY:

PINOT NOIR RESERVE 2022 Meyer Fonne

£18.36 reduced from £22.99 De Burgh

Lush rounded fruit with a lightness of touch; earthy refined Pinot.

PINOT NOIR RESERVE 2020 Barmes Buecher

£38-£40 Vins Clairs; Beckford Bottle Shop

Elegant, crunchy red fruits, good balance, structure and length from an impressive small family estate.

PINOT NOIR, LIEU-DIT BOLLENBERG 2019 Valentin Zusslin

£44 Vins Clairs

Brother and sister Jean-Paul and Marie Zusslin make soft rounded elegant Pinots from this Jurassic limestone site.

PINOT NOIR CLOS ST LANDELIN 2017 Mure

£48 The Wine Society

One of the great Pinot Noir domaines run by 12^th generation Veronique and Thomas; savoury, soft textured with rich dense fruits.

PINOT NOIR ‘CLOS DE LA FAILLE’ 2020 Albert Mann

£68 Terra Wines

Cedary, earthy, crunchy bright cherry fruits and refined structure – from one of the pioneers of Pinot Noir in modern Alsace.

PINOT NOIR, LIEU-DIT ALTENBOURG 2020 Weinbach

£70 Justerini & Brooks

Beautifully rich lush fruits, lovely depth and length from an impressive Alsace domaine.

Join Rose’s Fine Wine Tasting Dinner at Prestonfield on 27 November www.rosemurraybrown.com