Alsatian Whites

Alsatian Whites–2006 René Mure Pinot Gris

MATTHEW0 COMMENTSFROM THE LUNCH BOX, WINE FOR LUNCH

Feb 10

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Today’s treat: René Mure’s 2006 Pinot Gris.

12% alcohol, $14.99

90 point WS

Wall of Pony Bottles at Connecticut and Q Liquor Store

I have thought for a while that I should have a Friday Wine Lunch feature. Let me know if you think it’s helpful.

It’s not often that you can justify drinking fine wine at lunch. It would require a really cool pony bottle and a place to purchase them, like my local Connecticut and Q Liquors at the Dupont Circle metro. I mean no one in America drinks wine for lunch if they are working, do they? Well, Allen Gregory does on Fox TV, but he’s a cartoon and being that he’s only in elementary school, I certainly cannot recommend following his lead.

Allen Gregory's Pinot for Lunch

As many of you may know, white wines can be a scourge. I think that a ton of folks have become either inured to them because of California buttery Chardonnays or weak Italian Pinot Grigios, or sick of the bitter, dry crap that is readily available next to the check out at Trader Joe’s.

They just don’t have the caché of a Napa Cab or an Australian Grange Shiraz, or Pinot Noirs of any stripe. But I write today to encourage a few new habits worth considering:

 

• Wine Fridays for lunch.
• Half bottles (pony bottles), they travel nicely in your lunchbox, and
• White wine worth drinking: Alsatian Whites

Alsatian Whites for Lunch!

The Alsatian region (part of France’s eastern coast next to Germany) puts out the finest, most drinkable, and comparatively affordable whites that are exported to the states. I’m sure that when you’re in country, their Sancerres and Burgundian whites are superior–blah, blah, blah. But I live in the states, and the French are notoriously tight fisted with the fine wines they will allow to be shipped here and give us the great honor of overpaying for.

I recommend making your Friday lunch a Pinot Gris from Alsace. René Mure’s Pinot Gris isn’t your mom’s Pinot Grigio: this wine is a true stand out for Pinot Gris. I’ve little doubt that Alsatian whites are probably the finest whites in the world for the money. They aren’t usually too expensive (from $11-$40, depending on if they are grand cru or just bog standard wines).

Thomas Keller's Little Gem Salad

While I’m not so good with delivering “notes” on the “nose” of the wines I drink, as you’ve already seen, here’s my take on this little schatziputzi. The silky mouthfeel, the richness of the way the wine coats the palette, well, it’s worth every penny. When I swish the wine and spit it out,  a distinctive fruit and mineral profile rises up: perhaps apricot? pear?

The minerality is sparkly and light, but nothing like a champagne. There isn’t fizz; there’s just sparkle.

At only 12% alcohol, a pony bottle will neither get you hammered, nor make you look like a souse at the office. Enjoy with a cold poached chicken salad with a cream dressing, like my homemade ranch dressing (Ooops! Spoiler alert! Upcoming take on Thomas Keller’s ranch dressing to come soon to this blog, I promise!)

Impress your boss with your taste in fine, affordable wine this Friday!

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