#351 Dopff Wines - "Don't try my Pinot Noir"

The impressively named Balthazard-Georges Dopff was born in Riquewihr, he became the first of a long line of Dopffs to be involved in the wine industry.  He became a master cooper, and his descendants followed him in his trade.  Then, a couple of centuries later, Jean Dopff became a wine merchant, and the company has been passed, father to son, ever since. 

Dopff are most famous for Cremant d'Alsace, not only for producing a wide range of sparkling wines, but for being the first producer of the style of wine in 1900.  In the years preceding the First World War and when Alsace was part of the German Empire, it was called Champagne Dopff, but after the region was returned to France, the term 'Champagne' was protected for wines produced in that region.  The term 'Cremant' was resurrected, again from Champagne, but which had become obsolete in Champagne but it wasn't until 1976 that the AOC Cremant d'Alsace was defined by decree.

So that is one thing that the Dopff family have given to Alsace, but Julien Dopff, who created Cremant, also had the idea of bottling Alsatian wine in flute bottles, which was made a requirement for all still wines from Alsace in 1972.

Pioneering ideas from a century ago are all well and good, but are the wines of the current generation any good?  I was guided though the range by company President, Pierre-Etienne Dopff.  I started with the Cremant;

Dopff Cremant d'Alsace Cuvee Juilen
A blend of Pinot Blanc and Pinot Auxerrois, this is light fresh and perfumed, with a very good raspberry aroma.  The palate has a minerally note, some graphite elments with a lemony finish.  A lovely sparkling wine.  7/10

2009 Dopff Pinot Blanc
Little mineral element with a pithy note, some honey elements too.  A fresh apple taste, some nice lime and sandstone too.  Good. 7/10

2009 Dopff Pinot Gris Reserve
Again, fresh and lean, some nice creamier notes with a little bit of honey.  Greener notes some mineral notes and a bit fat. A pear drop finish but a touch chemically.  5.5/10

2009 Dopff Riesling
Fresh and limey with, very gentle, some light lemon elements.  Very clean and tasty.  7/10

2008 Dopff Riesling Grand Cru Schoenenbourg
Light lemon notes, some honey coming through with a bit of lime.  A lovely long palate with some really good lime and clay notes.  Very long lemony finish.  8/10

2009 Dopff Gewurztraminer
Soapy aroma with a bit of turkish delight, the palate is more floral with an initial lack of minerality, keeping the sweet rose flavour through.  There is a touch of sweetness too but it cleans up.  A slightly different style of Gewurztraminer, with the rich aromas translating onto the palate.  7/10

2007 Dopff Brand Grand Cru Gewurztraminer
A low yield wine.  A honey and lemon fest then with roses and gentle notes of spice.  The palate is soft, floral with a little bit of mineral and burnt toast.  Lovely clean, elegant and beautiful.  9/10

Like a lot of producers in Alsace, Dopff also produce a Pinot Noir.  I have heard stories before of Alsatian producers saying that their red is 'alright' but Burgundy does better, and that another well known producer only ever made one good vintage of his Pinot Noir and the rest have been 'merde'.  After being so eager and passionate about his whites, Pierre-Etienne Dopff wouldn't let me try his Pinot Noir!  That makes me like him, and his wines, even more.