Meyer-Fonné, Pinot Gris, Alsace

This is a beautiful, smooth, mouth-coating and delicious white is made from one of the most over-looked/abused grapes in the world. This is Pinot Gris, genetically the same as Pinot Grigio, but miles and miles apart in style and quality, and it comes from one of the most celebrated, up-and-coming producers in Alsace.

It is a layered and satisfying wine that engages with the palate showing complex flavours of ripe apples, apricot, peach and notes of ginger on the long, tantalising finish. With a supple and juicy mouthfeel, there is an immediate sense that this will pair well with almost any rich, fatty food that you can think of, but especially those that use spices and strong herbs. It is a gift for North African, Indian, Chinese and Japanese cuisine, as it is for game, roasts and seafood. It really is fantastic.

Felix Meyer is a lovely chap and the wines that he makes in the village of Katzenthal are proof of the claim that this are has been wrongly overlooked for decades, of not centuries as one of the best places to grow and make white wines in the world. 

The winery was established by his great-great-grandfather (also called Felix) in the early 18th-century, some 24 years before Mozart was born. The estate has a total of 15 hectares covering 7 different village communes, each differing from the next in terms of micro-climate and soil structure, bringing their own nuanced version to the final quality in the wines. It's as varied a place as you could hope to find grapes growing and though this has caused much confusion and difficulty in accessing the wines of Alsace, it has also given immense joy and pleasure to its many fans and devotees!