Joseph Cattin Pinot Blanc Réserve 2020 Alsace, France 75cl

The Cattin family has tended vines at Voegtlinshoffen since 1720, and today Maison Joseph Cattin is the largest family-owned estate in Alsace, run by the twelfth generation. Its vineyards run across sloping sites around Voegtlinshoffen, Steinbach and Colmar, and while sparkling Crémant d’Alsace is a house speciality, its still whites remain the backbone of the range.

This Réserve bottling is pure Pinot Blanc, the grape that gives Alsace its most food-friendly, unshowy dry whites. Grown on the clay and limestone soils that dominate the estate, it is made for early drinking, with freshness kept front and centre rather than weight or oak. Unlike the more aromatic Alsace grapes, Pinot Blanc keeps things gentle and balanced, which is exactly why it sits so easily at the table.

The 2020 growing season was warm and early across Alsace, giving ripe fruit while the estate’s cooler, sloped parcels held on to acidity. The result is a rounded but fresh style that shows the vintage without tipping into heaviness, and it is a wine to enjoy young while that orchard-fruit character is at its best.

Expect gentle aromas of peach and apricot with a touch of white blossom, then a clean, dry palate with soft orchard fruit and a crisp close. Serve it well chilled, at around eight to ten degrees, to show off its brightness.

Pinot Blanc is the natural choice when you want something dependable rather than dramatic, and Cattin’s is a fine introduction to Alsace. If you enjoy unoaked Chardonnay or dry Italian whites, it makes an easy change of pace. Serve it as an aperitif, or alongside quiche, roast chicken and soft cheeses.