2022 Laurent Barth Kientzheim Pinot Noir

Laurent Barth is in the village of Bennwihr, in the area north of Colmar. The 9-acre estate is owned and operated by Laurent Barth, who took over his father’s property in 1999. At the time the family vineyards were still under contract to the local cooperative, meaning that Barth was obliged to take all his grapes to the cooperative. But in 2004 his contract ended and he started bottling his own wines. Before returning to the family vineyards Barth worked as a winemaker in Lebanon, South Africa, California and Australia. Barth makes numerous white wines with grapes typical of the Alsace, such as Riesling, Sylvaner and Pinot Blanc. But he also makes Pinot Noir. The estate is entirely organic and Laurent Barth wines have become insider favorites among those who follow Alsace wines. Barth’s Pinot Noirs are labeled with the numbers of the vineyard plot from which they were made.

Alsace in northeastern France is so close to Germany that the wines of Alsace and Germany are often confused. Both are typically sold in distinctive, slim, long-necked bottles, and are made from the same grapes. Alsace has never officially been a part of Germany, though it was occupied by the German military in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Wine writer Hugh Johnson has noted that despite German influences, Alsace’s “soul is entirely French. Alsace makes Germanic wines in the French way.” In contrast to German wines, Alsace wines generally are very dry, with a higher alcohol content and riper, more scented fruit. Alsace has 33,000 acres of vineyards, many of them in the picturesque foothills of the Vosges Mountains. The grapes of the region are Sylvaner, Muscat, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc. Pinot Noir is also grown, though it is mainly used for Rosé wines. Alsace’s most admired wines are its Rieslings, which since 1985 may be designated as Grand Crus. Some 50 vineyards in the region have been classified as Grand Crus, and are allowed to use the appellation on their labels. Unlike all other French winemaking regions, Alsace labels are varietal, meaning that a wine made of Riesling, for example, is called Riesling. Official Alsace appellations include Cremant d’Alsace for sparkling wines.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.