Marc Beyer considers his 2009 Muscat d’Alsace Reserve one his most successful of recent years. It originates with largely old vines (roughly half Ottonel) in the Pfersigberg. After an opening aromatic salvo of catnip and elderflower, this displays the sort of voluminous, oily, expansive palate – informed by pungent herbs and ripe apricot – that I associate with its vintage. But there is a surprising degree of fresh fruit juiciness and a subtle sense of citricity even as a subtle suggestion of low-toned underlying nut oils and coffee also emerge. Bittersweet orange rind, apricot kernel, and the persistently pungent nip of herbs make for a gripping conclusion to a striking performance, if one about which opinions are likely to differ. I would not be surprised to see this hold up well for a decade, however it would be not only fascinating but advisable to monitor it year-by-year. Even in 2003, Marc Beyer and his team rendered a collection true to their domaine’s principles of dryness, acid-retention, and mineral expression, while for the most part avoiding alcoholic overload or flat-footedness. So I wasn’t surprised that they considered 2009 child’s play by comparison and fielded an often excellent if variable collection. “It was a vintage where you really had to wait,” says Marc Beyer of 2008, “but the fruit kept its acidity; eventually the maturity came up to over 13 (% natural alcohol); and the wines achieved a perfect balance.” Certainly the best of them did, at least. With their tendency to express volatile esters; their often big-boned and angular architecture; and their unapologetic absence of residual sugar, Beyer wines may well strike many of today’s oenophiles and writers as an anachronism, whereas for others of us, they are like a part of the profoundly beautiful village landscapes of Alsace to which we repeatedly return with a sense of comforting familiarity and the knowledge that their slow evolution will be as reliable as their adherence to a traditional style. But that is not meant to suggest that surprises are precluded, and in fact in both 2009 and 2008 there are a number of Beyer wines the likes of which I have difficulty recalling from this address or any other.Imported by Aveniu (A.V.) Brands, Baltimore, MD; tel. (410) 884-9463
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