Elbling Weiss

            An ancient grape that’s not very well known, which should give you a clue about its general quality: good enough to survive the centuries, but not good enough to conquer the wine world. Elbling has been grown in the upper Mosel Valley since before the Middle Ages, according to Jancis Robinson, largely because it produces bountifully on soil that won’t support Riesling or other more flavorful local varieties. Once used mainly for sparkling sekt, it’s now often sold as a varietal, especially in Luxembourg.

            Robinson notes its “searing acidity,” and elsewhere calls it “almost unimaginably tart,” but happily this example from Weingut Matthias Dostert has bright fruit to provide balance. I tasted citrus; others have mentioned peaches and a floral character similar to that of Viognier. Perhaps Alva – the name by which this grape is known in Portugal – is meant to indicate this riper style.

            This bottle made a winter trip overland from California’s K&L Wines to Maryland and arrived none the worse for it. A solid value at K&L’s current price of $9.

            Food pairing: This was a good choice for a recent family bouillabaisse dinner. The acidity let it rise above the richness of the dish, and the flavor was quite compatible.