Category: Alsace

There is no more underappreciated wine than Riesling. Many US consumers, burned by syrupy Rieslings with no life and too much sugar, have sworn off the grape. But for lovers of dry wine, there’s enough bone-dry Riesling out there to make Riesling avoidance foolhardy. Tall skinny bottle + “Riesling” ≠ sweet.

Alsace is a land of beautiful contradictions. Wedged between France and Germany, this charming region changed hands four times between 1918 and 1945. Its inhabitants tend to identify as Alsatian rather than either French or German, and today Alsace incorporates the best traditions – cultural, culinary, oenological – of both nations.

Francis Muré’s Alsatian Riesling has long been one of our most popular wines. We’ve used this wine to cure dozens of tasters of their “Riesling fear” -- it’s bone-dry, crisp, and as refreshing as a Sancerre or Chablis. There’s plenty of sweet, heavy, uninteresting Riesling around, but after one taste of this and you’ll want to reexamine the grape.

The French have a long tradition of eating outdoors. From harvest tables in Burgundy to breezy rooftops in Paris, a French meal en plein air is full of beguiling aromas, clinking glasses, and hearty laughter. We’ve enjoyed more than half of our meals this trip sur terrace, and we find that wine (and really food in general) tastes better outside,…

Francis Muré lives in a charming Alsatian hill town. His small farmhouse nestles on vine-covered slopes near stone streets lined with colorful flower boxes. It’s charming, quaint, and picturesque, like something from a fairy tale.

There is no more underappreciated wine than Riesling. Many US consumers have sworn off the grape, having been burned by syrupy Rieslings with no life and too much sugar. But for lovers of dry wine, there’s enough bone-dry Riesling out there to make Riesling avoidance foolhardy. Tall skinny bottle + “Riesling” ≠ sweet.

Alsace is beautiful any time of year, but it's particularly charming in spring. Colorful flowers spill from window boxes on half-timbered houses, water spouts from weathered stone fountains in the quaint village square. No wines better capture this springtime spirit than those of Francis Muré.

Most wines taste better with a meal; some really require food food to reach their full potential. But other wines are complete glasses on their own. One of our favorites in this “aperitif” category is the Auxerrois from our friends at the Domaine Mersiol in Alsace. Whether you’re welcoming guests to a dinner party, or looking for something refreshing on…

We like finding wines that defy expectations. Lightweight Syrah, refreshing Chardonnay, floral Pinot Noir -- we enjoy sharing wines that tasters have wrongly pigeonholed. Most grapes can present their flavors in a wide range of styles.

Francis Muré lives in a charming Alsatian hill town. His small farmhouse nestles on vine-covered slopes near stone streets lined with colorful flower boxes. It’s quaint and picturesque, like something from a children’s storybook.

Francis Muré’s wines were made for the summer. Muré and his wife Josiane run a tiny winemaking operation in the beautiful rolling hills of Alsace. Their wines are uncomplicated and refreshing, the perfect antidote for a warm muggy evening.