Domaine Paul Kubler Rouge Les Griottiers Vin de France 2022

This Alsatian domaine has been around for more than 400 years, and its traditions, excellence, and history are apparent in every bottle. The 2022 Les Griottiers Pinot Noir is simply phenomenal – and for just over $20, it is a jubilant, bright, and authentic wine for a jaw-dropping price! We only wish we had more!

Domaine Paul Kubler goes back more than four centuries, since its origination in 1620 in Soultzmatt, Alsace, by Jean Kubler, who was originally from Switzerland. In 1947, Camille Kubler started marketing the wines under his family’s name, and that’s when they really took off, growing a steadfast following and widespread acclaim, and eventually modernizing the estate in the ‘60s under Paul Kubler and his wife’s leadership. Since 2004, their son, Philippe Kubler, has been at the helm, keeping a strong grip on the traditions that got the estate to where it is today and making a great effort to highlight the local Alsatian terroirs and unique climatic conditions. Their motto is, “The terroir sublimates the wine as long as the winemaker respects Nature” – an ideology that carries through every one of their pristine bottlings.

This 2022 Pinot Noir comes from their Les Griottiers vineyard, translating to “sour cherry trees” – an apt name for the bright, fruit-drenched wines that come from this lovely place. The vineyard covers 10 hectares of land, though five different soil types can be found in its midst, including limestone, pink sandstone, avolcia sandstone, limestone-sandstone, and sandstone alluvium. This particular wine is blended from some of their top plots that offer somewhat of a patchwork of geology and create an elegant minerality that is a true delight to the very last sip. Vinified in stainless steel, the fruit is then aged in large Alsatian oak foudres for 10 months. The domaine practices a traditional, low-intervention winemaking style and uses no pesticides in the fields in order to keep the wine as connected to biology as possible.

With 91 points and simply terrific freshness, this Rouge is a beaut in every way, from the color (light cranberry) to the nose (tart cherries, raspberries, and dry roses) to the palate (more cherries, of course, plus a delicate spiciness akin to black pepper, with some crushed gravel minerality and the silkiest of tannins). It’s elegant and bright, showcasing bursting red fruits and subtle earthy undertones of spice and minerals that balance it out just so. It is an utterly lively Pinot Noir that is ready for you to pop open straight away but also has the power to cellar another 5 to 10 years if you prefer. Ordering a 6-pack drops the price to just under $20, so you might as well get some for now and later if you ask us! Don’t miss out on this Alsatian gem!

PAIRING IDEAS: This beautiful one-pot Coq au Vin (“rooster in wine”) is chicken braised in red wine sauce with veggies, pancetta, and spices for a hearty pairing alongside this energetic Pinot Noir. Cherries Jubilee for dessert, of course!