2017 Cave de Ribeauvillé Pinot Blanc Collection Vendanges Manuelles Alsace 750 ml

Cave de Ribeauvillé makes wildly delicious Pinot Blanc: It's bright and crisp, with excellent minerality and a do-everything charm that pairs perfectly with Dover Sole meunière or a back-porch sunset. Organically farmed from a collection of the top vineyards in and around the haven of Ribeauvillé in Alsace—famous for exceptionally minerally wines—the 2017 is a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy that shines with everything that makes us love this grape.

“Phillipe is passionate about the vineyards like there’s no tomorrow!” said our friend Serge, who introduced us to the bottle. He’s referring to Philippe Traber, the head winemaker at Cave de Ribeauvillé—the oldest cooperative in Alsace—who works with more than 100 family growers who devote exceptional attention to farming organic grapes for the winery. 

Those vineyards stretch the length of Ribeauvillé—a town so noted for minerality in its wines that they have nearly twice the dry extract of their neighbors—and include eight Grand Cru sites. It’s a huge edge in this highly competitive region, which is why Cave de Ribeauvillé is so acclaimed, including being named as one of the top 100 wineries in the world by Wine & Spirits magazine.

Traber and his team ferment carefully in stainless steel for maximum purity and brightness, then hold the wines back after bottling until they’re deemed ready to drink. That’s because, after 125 years in business, Cave de Ribeauvillé isn't concerned with cash flow, but with crafting a fully-blossomed bottle whose price belies the quality inside.