nv Domaine Pfister, Cremant d’Alsace, Brut Sparkling Wine, France.
Melanie’s precise and brilliant wines at Domaine Pfister are turning heads and are worth checking out, since taking over her family estate the wines have really seen a positive shift in quality and style. Pfister in Bas Rhin makes super clear and vital wines with striking mineral and vibrant acidity with Melanie choosing to use almost exclusively stainless steel in fermenting and aging of her wines, with the Riesling being the stand out in the set, but her Gris and Blanc are lovely wines as well, and her Pinot Noirs are a work in progress as she explores her own style with the varietal, though for me, I adore this beautiful Cremant d’Alsace best of all. Pfister’s crisp and leesy sparkler shines in the glass with a creamy mousse and vibrant flavors, it is a cuvee of Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris, aged in vat and on the lees for a few years and crafted with low dosage, this is a vivid and charming bubbly with green apple, mixed citrus, liquid mineral, hazelnut and brioche along with hints of pear, peach and fig. This lean and focused Cremant is a perfect food wine, and it is just a joy to sip on as well anytime, this is an easy choice and a wonderful expression from a talented winemaker, who after a stint at Zind-Humbrecht has made her mark on her family’s domaine, this is a winery to follow for terroir driven and pure old world style wines with sublime clarity and vigor.
($25 Est.) 92 Points, grapelive