Domaine Camille Braun Nature Pinot Blanc 2018

Camille Braun’s 2018 Nature Pinot Blanc is a tour de force in the production of natural white wines. Thanks to the certified biodynamic viticultural practices at the estate and Christophe Braun’s longstanding acumen in fashioning natural wines, the 2018 Camille Braun Nature Pinot Blanc offers an aromatic, delightfully fruity, yet delicately dry glass of Pinot Blanc with superb definition. Springtime freshness redolent with delicate scents of apple blossoms and savory orchard fruit flavors delight the nose and palate. Supple and silky in the mouth with clean fresh fruit, pinpoint precision, and a delicate harmonious finish, it is hard not to want to drink an entire bottle of Camille Braun’s Nature. Alsace Pinot Blanc is never a heavyweight, nor is it a wine that needs barrel ageing to define or improve it, and this is certainly true in the case of Camille Braun’s 2018 Nature Pinot Blanc. Enjoy this wonderful, natural wine moderately chilled (40°-45° F) now and over the next couple of years. Enjoy!

The 2018 Camille Braun Nature Pinot Blanc is the perfect wine to drink at any time. Without any sulfite, it glides across the tongue and slips easily down the thirsty throat, which makes it the ideal aperitif and then some. Consider soft creamy cheeses, freshly picked apples and pears, crudités, and pâtés as ideal accompaniments. Sea scallops seared in butter and white wine and nearly any white flaky fish provide equally satisfying companions to Camille Braun’s illustrious Pinot Blanc. Salads, white meats, and ham pair nicely with Camille Braun’s Nature Pinot Blanc, too. Bon appétit!

The Braun family traces its presence as farmers and wine growers in Alsace back to 1583. Since then, generations of wine growers have followed one another. With the purchase of a 17th century farmhouse in Orschwihr in 1902, the Brauns established their own family vineyards and domaine.

Orschwihr, located in southern Alsace along the renowned Alsace Route des Vins, has enjoyed fame since the Middle Ages for the high quality of its wines. In 1960, Camille Braun took over the family farm and began to focus exclusively on wine production and the bottling and sale of the property’s own wines. Beginning with just 2.5 hectares, the domaine has grown to 15 hectares (44 acres) of vineyards in and around Orschwihr and Uffholtz. Camille’s son Christophe took over the family business in 1987 and today runs the domaine with his charming wife, Chantal. The domaine consists of some 30 parcels, including the Grand Cru site Pfingstberg, documented since 1299, and single sites Bollenberg, Lippelsberg, Effenberg and Meissenberg. The farming at Camille Braun has been certified organic for the past 20 years and has been certified biodynamic since 2005. All the farming methods employed at the estate respect the environment and the character of the natural terroir. The 2018 Camille Braun Nature Pinot Blanc (this month’s feature) is a biodynamically-produced and completely natural wine without any sulfite, additives, or manipulation.

Production at Camille Braun is tiny, just over 8,000 cases, due to natural farming methods and strict attention to quality. The result has been numerous awards, including the Prize for Excellence at the Concours National, awarded for the consistent quality of all the estate’s wines, and a Gold Medal at the Concours National des Crémants for their Crémant Brut (a traditional Champagne Method sparkling wine). In addition to producing outstanding Crémant, the Brauns also fashion one of Alsace’s finest Pinot Blancs in its Nature Pinot Blanc from 100% Auxerrois. Auxerrois is a traditional but distinct Alsatian grape that is often blended with Pinot Blanc in both still and sparkling wines. Both Auxerrois and Pinot Blanc are legally entitled to be called Pinot Blanc. Small amounts of Sylvaner and other Alsace varietals are produced, including tiny lots of Grand Cru offerings – all worth seeking out.