Peter Weber Schoenenbourg Riesling Grand Cru 2016

Welcome to Alsace. It’s a picture postcard patch of northeast France, peppered with pretty villages that wouldn’t look out of place in a book of German fairy tales. The Germanic influences don’t end there – here, the vineyards are planted with Riesling, the three Pinots and Gewurztraminer, rather than Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Winemakers even use the tall, slender – and far more elegant – bottles as favoured by the Germans. Although it’s a cool part of France, Alsace is also the country’s sunniest region. This combination leads to clean, crisp whites of huge intensity – particularly in this famous Grand Cru. The hand picked fruit from steep, south facing slopes produces a dry white with remarkable fruit intensity. Delicious now, or cellar.