2021 Weinbach Muscat, Alsace

The 2021 Muscat was grown in the Clos des Capucins, the walled vineyard surrounding the house. It has a lovely lemon and elderflower scent, like a spring breeze. The palate is very fluid, almost rounded, and bone-dry, making this a charming, light-bodied aperitif style. There is the merest edge of phenolics which adds a little structure. The finish is lemony and dry.

90 points Anne Krebiehl MW vinous.com

Biodynamic. Dry. A blend of old vine Muscat Ottonel (70%) and Muscat d’Alsace (30%) rooted in the granitic gravel of Clos des Capucins, Weinbach’s dry Muscats are the antithesis of the floral and saccharine off-dry stereotype. Cropped from low yields and raised in large-format oak, there is far more potency and structure alongside the savoury presence and salty legacy from the Capucins’ mineral soils. The winemaking mirrors that of Weinbach’s dry whites, although the Muscat gets a flash of skin contact to enhance complexity and structure. Superb as an aperitif, it should also answer the age-old question about what to drink with asparagus. Lightly spiced dishes and soft-shell crab are also on the menu.