Below are ten bottles of Alsace wines that we’ve taken the liberty of taste testing for you. 

Majestic
Pinot Blanc
Philippe Zinck
2003/4
£5.99

Pale straw in colour with a touch of steeliness, this wine appears bright in the glass and has a youthful nose. Delicate mineral tones mix with distant citrus fruits, lemon and lime, and a hint of granny smith apple. On the palate the wine is off-dry, with a good balance of acidity and fruitiness. The fruits on the palate are more pleasantly riper than on the nose, think more braeburn apple than granny smith. The wine has a good length too.

This wine has a surprisingly good palate compared to the weak nose. Very drinkable and drinking now. Deliciously smooth, enjoyable wine at an affordable, accessible price.

Oddbins
Pinot Blanc/Auxerrois
Albert Mann
2003
£8.99

Pale straw in colour but with more warmth than previous wine. Interesting youthful nose, with mineral notes but with a bit more intensity. There are hints of unripe tropical fruits like pineapple, kiwi fruit and also crab apple. On the palate, there are signs of immaturity as the acidity is a little high and overpowers the fruit flavours. The acid needs to settle, before this wine can be enjoyed without rich food.

A little disappointing for the price, but could work well at cutting through rich creamy cheese sauces.

Marks & Spencer
Pinot Gris
Cave de Turckheim
2005
£6.49

Pale straw but this time with a touch of peachiness in colour. The nose is youthful with floral and fruit aromas, typical of the region. There is honeysuckle, and other early Spring flowers, honeydew melon, mandarin and peach. On the palate the wine is dry with an initial acid hit which then falls away in the middle but reappears on the length. There are a few unripe fruits but the palate is disappointing with no real substance.

This wine has a fabulously complex nose which is let down by the lack of definable fruit on the palate. Drinking now as if kept to allow acid to balance, there may not be enough fruit to stay the course. Again, try tackling it with creamy mash potatoes and sausages.

Bright pale straw with a hint of steeliness in appearance. A bit more pronounced on the nose, youthful with mineral undertones, and a slight aroma of petrol and unripe green fruit.

On the palate, it is off-dry with balanced acidity. Medium body and noticeably higher alcohol at 13.5% - high for the region and varietal. Floral tones on the palate compete with a sweet/sour combination of peaches and green fruit. There is an interesting liveliness to this wine. It also has a good length.

Giving nothing away on the nose, this wine is redeemed on the palate. The combination of floral, sweetness and sourness dance in the mouth and linger. Costly but worth it. Wouldn’t confuse it with food, but great personality as an aperitif.

Tesco ‘Finest’
Riesling
Kuehn Ammerschwihr
2004
£5.99

Pale straw in colour with a touch of green. An initial burst of acid on the nose is a warning, as are the familiar citrus tones and unripe green fruits. Interestingly, there is a hint of new rubber, which is not an uncommon characteristic of the Riesling grape. There is even an attempt at boiled sweets. Very interesting nose that is constantly changing. On the palate, however, you are unfortunately assaulted with mouth-watering acidity. As you salivate to compensate, you may notice hard green apples but the acid is simply too overpowering.

Unfortunately, this wine is more talk than trousers, and even matching it with rich food may leave you with an acidy stomach. Perhaps leave for acid to settle as there was such promise in the nose.

Waitrose
Riesling
Trimbach
2004
£12.99

Pale straw in colour, much like the others and typical of cool climate wines. Youthful nose, with grassy notes, but lacking in real fruitiness. Slight sign of development as I notice the essence of swimming cap somewhere in the background. Again, the wine has biting acidity which tends drowns out everything else. Not a great deal of fruit in this wine and but would recommend leaving for a while for the acidity levels to settle, before discounting it. Costly and from a good producer so I hold out hope.

Sainsbury’s ‘Taste the Difference’
Gewürztraminer
Cave de Bestheim
2004
£6.99

Pale gold in colour, the nose is expectedly more pronounced. Gerwurztraminier is renowned for smelling like rose petals and tasting like lycees. This wine has both on the nose. On the palate it is off-dry, with a refreshing balanced acidity which is noticeable but not overbearing. There is more floral than fruit on the palate with a hint of Turkish delight and a touch of spice. The higher alcohol is warming and the wine stays with you for a good long time. Delicious.

A good value, classic wine, typical of the varietal. Can cope with Thai food but best as an aperitif, enjoyed without distraction.

Laithwaite’s/Direct Wines
Gewürztraminer
Cave du Bestheim
2004
£9.99

Pale yellow in the glass, this wine is also characteristic of the varietal. Youthful on the nose with pronounced lycee and rose. There is a touch of white pepper and a little spice too. There is a sophistication to the nose, and noticeable restraint. On the palate, the wine if off-dry, wonderfully smooth with locked away acidity. There is a cheeky presence of alcohol that couples with the richness of Turkish delight. Maybe the acid dies off a little too soon but a luxurious treat nonetheless. Slightly more expensive than the Sainsbury’s wine however, which is equally as good.

Avery’s Wine Merchant
Riesling Grand Cru
Hunawihr Rosacker
2000
£10.50

Bright pale gold with an unusual nose. Initially nail varnish and gloss paint on the nose, which then transpires to woodiness and vegetal tones. There are no floral notes but in the background there is some fruit. The wine is dry to taste, and has a slight saltiness as when eating fresh oysters. It has a delicate body, restrained with green fruits, minerality and a touch of steeliness. This wine is drinking now but there are clues that it’s best is yet to come. Leave it for a couple of years.