Domaine Charles Schleret, Turckheim

Charles Schleret Tokay Pinot Gris Alsace Herrenweg 2003 - 90
Typical peach, quince and floral notes are amplified by the ripeness in this luscious white. Stays bright and focused, with a moderate finish. Just a hint of a bitter grapefruit aftertaste. Drink now.

October 15, 2005

Charles Schleret Tokay Pinot Gris Alsace Herrenweg 2002 90

Distinctive floral, spice and pine aromas morph into peach and quince in this powerful, elegant white. Dry and balanced, it's beginning to show some maturity and should match well with pork or rich seafood in a lightly sweet citrus sauce. Drink now through 2009. 250 cases imported. - B. S.

Charles Schleret Gewurztraminer Alsace Herrenweg 2002 90

Plenty of vanilla, honey, almond and litchi mark this medium-bodied white. It's concentrated, without being powerful and lingers nicely on the finish. Drink now. 500 cases imported. - B.S.

October 31, 2005

Muscat Alsace 2002 87

Just off-dry, with a minty note augmenting its rose, spice and quince flavors. It remains elegant, picking up a bitter grapefruit accent on the finish. Drink now through 2007. 250 cases imported. - B.S.

Stephen Tanzer's
INTERNATIONAL WINE CELLAR

November/December 2003

Schleret makes drier-styled, food-friendly wines in stainless steel tanks in a spotless cellar. (Late-harvest bottlings are rare here.) He describes 2001 as "a classic in the good Alsace tradition, very well balanced."The 2002 vintage, he went on, was more difficult: We needed to do a lot of triage in the vines, but many wines have turned out well."

2001 Sylvaner 85

Aromas of lemon and spice. Supple, fruit-driven and fresh, with good ripeness and texture and moderate flavor intensity. Nicely balanced sylvaner.

2001 Pinot Blanc 86

(all Auxerrois) Pure aroma of fresh apricot. Supple, fresh and fairly broad, with a faint touch of sweetness and modest nuance.

2001 Riesling 86

Bright, pale yellow. Cool, discreet aromas of lemon and lime ice. Lean, juicy and precise, with citrus flavors complicated by hints of fresh herbs and mint. Finishes firm, citric and persistent.

2001 Muscat 87

Aromatic herbs and lime oil on the perfumed nose. Juicy, supple and aromatic in the mouth, with pure lemon and lime flavors. The longest to this point of these 2001s. Good honest muscat.

2001 Tokay-Pinot Gris 87

Subdued aromas of honey, lemon sorbet and dried fruits. Slightly sweet but cleanly made, with good peachy intensity and firm balancing acids. Finishes with very good length. Solid, traditionally styled pinot gris.

2001 Gewurztraminer 89

Bright medium yellow. Smoked meat, lichee, rose petal and nutmeg on the aromatic nose. Plump, silky and moderately sweet; a seamless, very suave gewurztraminer with a nice light touch, owing to its firm underlying structure.

2002 Pinot Blanc 86

Slightly exotic aromas of orange, honey and butter. Quite dry and rather unforthcoming in the mouth, with suggestions of exotic fruits. Shows a supple texture but also good cut. Ultimately a bit fatter than the 2001 example but finishes with a bit more grip.

2002 Riesling 87

Pale, green-tinged color. Fruity aromas of lime and mint, plus a high-toned whiff of caraway seed. Juicy, lean and tight, with fairly intense citrus flavors. Finishes with sneaky length.

2002 Tokay-Pinot Gris 85

Smoke, earth and honey on the nose; a bit less vibrant than the 2001. Supple but slightly blurry in the mouth, with hints of honey and licorice. Slightly dry-edged pinot gris with good length but some finishing harshness.

2000 Tokay-Pinot Gris Selection de Grains Nobles (500 ml) 92

Vibrant aromas of orange, apricot and honey, complicated by notes of fresh and dried fruits. Supersweet (about 100 g/l r.s.), rich and broad, with an exotic suggestion of coconut. Initially seemed a bit youthfully aggressive but showed an impressively silky texture with aeration. A fat young pinot gris SGN with impressive finesse and length.

2000 Gewurztraminer Selection de Grains Nobles (500 ml) 90?

Full yellow color. Reticent nose hints at mirabelle Slightly aggressive in the mouth, and thus the yellow fruit flavors do not come across as overly sweet. Became smoother as it opened in the glass, but finishes with a slightly fiery quality. This SGN will make a lovely drink if it can absorb a bit of its alcohol.

Also tasted: 2002 Sylvaner, 2002 Muscat*, 2002 Gewurztraminer, 2001 Pinot Noir, 2002 Pinot Noir.