Domaines Schlumberger 2015 “Les Princes Abbés” Pinot Blanc, Alsace

This Pinot Blanc from Alsace is a great way for Pinot lovers to expand their palates. It wouldn’t be possible without help from some monks.

Pinot Brother From Another Mother

Chances are if someone says they love Pinot, they are talking about Pinot Noir. We are lovers of that devilish grape, to be sure, but there is a world of magnificent Pinot of a different stripe. Case in point: Pinot Blanc.

Pinot Blanc is a white berry mutation of Pinot Noir. This white wine has risen to its highest craft in the Alsace region of France.

After returning from a showing of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, it was vino time. The universe had been saved (at least for the time being) and so Green Dragon and I uncorked a chilled Domaines Schlumberger 2015 “Les Princes Abbés” Pinot Blanc. 

The Monks Fill Our Wine Glasses

Domaine Schlumberger is a rarity – they are 100% estate winegrowers. They don’t buy grapes or juice and vinify exclusively their own harvest. Their estate is located on the hillsides of Guebwiller, with some hills topping 1,200 feet.

Sipping this great white wine from Alsace wouldn’t be possible without the help of a group of monks. Christianity in the region dates back to the 4th century and a community of Benedictine monks dominated the area for 10 centuries. At one point the monks were named Princes of the Holy Roman Empire and given the titles of knights.

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Guebwiller became one of the most important towns in Alsace because of its winegrowing. At the insistence of the Prince Abbots, the wines were exported to Austria and were well known and appreciated. To make sure no one else horned in on the Guebwiller reputation, a certificate of origin was placed on every barrel.The Princes Abbés were the first to sell wine from Guebwiller, earning their place in history and on the Domaines Schlumberger bottle.

Verdict Of The Glass

We love dry white wines, and that happens to be the specialty of Alsace. Two points were in this wine’s favor from the start.
First is a reasonable (about $16) price. Second is a sweetness scale on the bottle that clearly advertises the sweetness level, in this case, dry. If only more wineries would use this simple tool.

In the glass this princely Pinot Blanc is light yellow with golden highlights. On the nose, there are floral aromas evoking visions of white blossoms.

Our glasses were wafting some great aromatics. As we sipped, the flavors were lemon meringue and honeysuckle mingled with refreshing minerality. This is a fresh and lively wine.

Domaine Schlumberger is a winery with a tradition of excellence. We rate this wine highly. It will appeal to Pinot people who prefer premium potations.