By Duane Pemberton

For me, it’s always a good time to enjoy a hearty red – especially one that’s well made and even better if it’s priced appropriately. While many of us look to regions like Spain, Portugal, Argentina and Chile for good values, France has been “listening” to the market as well and thankfully there are producers over there churning out good W.E.P.

Chateau Sainte-Marie has been producing wine since 1956 and makes a ton of it – in fact, this 2007 bottle I’m reviewing will have 174,000 bottles made of it.

Technical Data:

Nose: White peppercorns with some nice hints of cherries, cabbage, and black fruits.

Taste: Black cherries, medicine cabinet, leather, a nice hint of gym socks and blackberry. Excellent fruit on the front palate that transitions into a mid-palate that has a good mouthfeel and doesn’t get too hot. It picks up some really good green-qualities on the backend that I really enjoy like rhubarb, cabbage and even a touch of burnt asparagus tips. Overall a very solid red and for the price would be an easy, daily drinker.

W.E.P. Rating: 120%

Wine drinkers from around the world love the whites from the Alsace region of France due to the rather unique character and depth-of-flavor they have. Many regions try and copy them but they’re never truly equaled – Alsace’s terroir and history help that region produce some of the most complex white wines you’ll find anywhere and Hugel has been producing wines there since the 1600s.

Before I get into this, I really want to stress how important – here in America – it is to have quality importers. Frederick Wildman and Sons out of New York are one of this nation’s great importers and have been bringing us all great wines for a long time. Generally speaking, if you see their label on an imported wine, you know it’s going to be good – so seek them out and make sure you support them when you can as we should all endeavor to help support those who support our desire to drink kick-ass wines.

2007 Hugel Riesling – W.E.P. Rating: 100%

Technical Data:

• Region: Alsace
• Grapes: 100% Riesling
• Alcohol: 12%
• Enclosure: DIAM Corks
• Price: $20

Nose: Sourpatch candy, a musty old leather-bound book w/ that sour leather smell. Sort of like one that’s been stuck inside an old locker up in the attic for 20years or more.

Taste: Green apples with grapefruit for days – Stellar acidity across the mid-palate which does a nice job of cleaning your tongue with some blue-stone and flint overtones. Good finish on this wine – a total winner of a pick for shellfish or sea bass.

2007 Gentil “Hugel” – W.E.P. Rating: 120%

Technical Data:

• Region: Alsace
• Grapes: Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Sylvaner
• Alcohol: 12.5%
• Enclosure: DIAM Corks
• Price: $20
  

Nose: Classic alsace with that nice blue-stone and flintiness. I get some gorgeous notes of pineapple, lemon peel and chalk dust.

Taste: This is where Alsace gets me – just about every time. The initial attack on teh palate is almost overwhelming (in a good way). It has a certain muskiness to it that I enjoy on an epic scale. As I sip this I’m taken away to a mental image of sitting up in a mountainous chalet, over-looking a valley of spring blossoms with a river flowing through it. Sound corney? Perhaps, but it’s how I roll and it’s what this wine is doing to me. If you’ve never experienced alsace, then you seriously need to try this wine.

Winery Website: www.hugel.com