2019 Cave De Bebelenheim Baron de Hoen Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Mandelberg Alsace 750 ml

There are around 20,000 acres of Gewürztraminer worldwide. About 7,000 of them are in Alsace, whose wines show the grape at its richest and most aromatic. Of those, 29 of the most profound sit within the Mandelberg Grand Cru—home of Cave de Beblenheim’s 2019 Baron de Hoen.

In Alsace, where quaint, steep-roofed houses look straight out of The Sound of Music, just 8% of all vineyards make the cut for Grand Cru status, so Mandelberg occupies rarefied air. With extended evening sunshine and a plateau that blocks cold, southerly winds, its terroir is practically tailor-made for powerful, ageworthy Gewürztraminer bottlings.

The Baron de Hoen is just that. Bearing 95 points from the Decanter World Wine Awards, it hits you with a mélange of aromas: rose, allspice, grapefruit, lychee, pineapple, peach, incense, cinnamon, and cantaloupe. A light touch of sweetness on the palate accompanies robust acidity and notes of fresh citrus and tropical fruit. This is as food-friendly as it gets, pairing gorgeously with just about any dish you can think up.

Cave de Beblenheim is a cooperative that’s farmed in Alsace since 1952. Comprising 170 families tending vineyards around the village of Beblenheim—including four Grand Crus—their headquarters occupy a half-timbered building built on the remains of a castle from 1395. Here, they pull together the best of the region to craft village wines and a few superb Grand Cru bottlings.

The warm, dry summer and well-timed August rains of an all-around phenomenal 2019 vintage gave Beblenheim’s growers pure gold. From it, the co-op’s experienced winemakers crafted a gem that shows the depth and luscious complexity that make Alsace a gold-standard Gewürztraminer region.