Laurent Barth: 2017 Riesling

Laurent Barth: 2017 Riesling

Laurent Barth

Riesling, 2017

Bennwihr, Alsace, FR

Quietly Dazzling

Wine bottles with vibrant and striking labels often punctuate the display floors of wine shops curated to the natural, independent, and obscure. Contemplative works of art? David Bowie? A little man snacking on a bunch of grapes? A friend recently mentioned he picked out the latter simply because of that little guy on the label. “He’s having a good time, I wanna be that guy!” I say job well done. I also want to be that guy (not to mention you can’t go wrong with Marcel Lapierre). Letting the wine’s label speak to your wine-drinking whims is by no means a faux pas in my book.

Some wines, however, speak a little more softly from the naturally-minded shelves. Within that quiet background you may find a wine from Laurent Barth. I was introduced to this Alsatian producer last year shortly after starting at Henry & Son, the wine shop in Minneapolis where I work. At first glance, Barth’s labels appear, while elegant, almost nondescript: white background, clear and straightforward font, and with an unassuming illustration of a leaf, perhaps a grape vine leaf!

A closer look (and several google searches) reveal that the leaf is in fact made up of text: “the spirit of wine” written in French, Persian, Hindu, Georgian, and Arabic. Barth tends to the same vineyards his father did, but this collection of languages on the label points to his remarkably diverse winemaking resume. He left Alsace for some time to study viticulture in Burgundy and then went on to produce wine in Lebanon, South Africa, Sonoma, India, and Australia, all before returning to Bennwihr to transform the family’s cooperative grape production into his own expressive, terroir-driven brand.

With the same subtlety of his labels, Barth’s natural winemaking posture presents itself with nuance and balance in the 2017 Riesling. Barth believes in making his wines “as naturally as possible”. He’s certified organic, practices biodynamic, utilizes native yeasts, and incorporates minimal sulfur additions at bottling. These natural tenets don’t necessarily translate into a rebellious statement against the classics, as is the intention behind some natural wines. They instead tell you exactly why you should be drinking more classic Alsatian Riesling. Generous baked yellow apple and passion fruit are complemented by a honeyed-ginger spice and cheerful wildflowers. There’s just the right amount of tension between bright and lively acidity and the slightest hint of grounding residual sugar. An ease and effortlessness is matched by composure in Barth’s wines. 2017 Riesling reminds us there’s a refreshed charm to be found among the newer generations of natural winemakers in Alsace. 

Grab this wine at Henry & Son before it’s gone. 

Sources:

https://www.vinetrail.co.uk/growers/laurent-barth/laurent-barth-pinot-dalsace-2017

http://louisdressner.com/producers/barth/

Sept 15 2020