By James Atkinson – editor TheShout
Dateline: Alsace, France
Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris from a French family winery with a rich history in the Alsace region are now available in Australia through Eurocentric Wine Imports.
Domaine Sipp-Mack is based in Hunawihr, Alsace and winemaker Carolyn Sipp (pictured) is the 10th generation of her family to practice the craft.
She told TheShout that the first shipment of Sipp-Mack wines recently arrived in Australia under the new agreement with Eurocentric's Neville Yates.
"He found us – he came and tasted our wines and liked them," she said.
Sipp recently worked during vintage at Howard Park Wines in Margaret River and is confident that the modern Alsatian style of wines will appeal to Australian consumers.
But she said the Alsace region has much work to do to educate both consumers and trade about its wares – which is where this week's Millisimes Alsace wine trade fair will play a crucial role.
"We need to talk about Alsace. In the US, you talk about Alsace, nobody knows about it. They think about sweet wines such as Gewurztraminer, and with the Rieslings they think of sweet and sour [styles]."
"Unfortunately in supermarkets you can still find those kind of wines, and a lot of people buy the Alsace wines in the supermarket – it's kind of a bad image," said Sipp.
She said that when people have the opportunity to taste the region's more premium output they are invariably impressed.
"They find out there's so much complexity in the wines. They are aromatic – but that is not the same as sweet. You can be aromatic and dry – not just Gewurztraminer full-bodied dessert wines."