2007 Muscat Saering

Jean-Pierre Dirler described the 2007s as "like a blend of '02 and '01. But there was more malic acidity in '07 than in '01." This was a year, he went on, for making real vins de garde. "It took two months for us to pick, but anything was possible. You could make a pass through a vineyard whenever you thought the time was right." The 2007 rieslings and gewurztraminers were particularly strong in my tasting chez Dirler. The previous vintage was clearly a more difficult harvest here, as it was through much of the region-and perhaps especially to the south of Colmar. The Dirlers dropped a lot of crop (the estate-wide average production was about 45 hectoliters per hectare, vs. 55 in '07), declassified much of their fruit, and sold off a good bit of their production to local negociants. Dirler told me that the fermentations in 2007 were done with 60% wild yeasts, but that this was impossible in '06, as there were too many problems getting the fermentations to go smoothly. (Robert Chadderdon Selections, New York, NY) Also recommended: 2006 Cremant (85), 2006 Pinot Noir Cuvee Ludivine (85), 2006 Edelzwicker Reserve (86), 2006 Muscat (85), 2006 Gewurztraminer (86), 2006 Gewurztraminer Bux (85), 2006 Gewurztraminer Spiegel VT (86), 2007 Pinot Cepage Pinot Noir (86), 2007 Pinot Noir (85). Other wines tasted: 2006 Pinot Cepage Pinot Noir.