The Kientzler Pinot Gris 2024 is a dry, gently textured Alsace white with more grip than its softness first suggests. Ripe orchard fruit sits over a firm, savoury core, making this a Pinot Gris built for the table rather than the aperitif hour.

Poached pear, quince and yellow apple come through first, followed by ginger, honeysuckle and a faint smoky edge that is typical of the variety in Alsace. There is a light waft of beeswax and toasted almond behind the fruit.

Weight arrives early on the palate, broad and slightly oily, then tightens as clean acidity draws everything into line. The finish is dry and a touch bitter in the good sense, closer to grapefruit pith than sweetness, and it lingers longer than the mid-palate lets on. Kientzler farms a small family holding around Ribeauvillé and works towards dry, food-friendly whites, which is exactly how this reads.

Pour it with roast pork belly, chicken with mushrooms and cream, smoked trout, or a wedge of washed-rind cheese. Alsatian tarte flambée or a plate of charcuterie works just as well on a cooler evening.

Drink from now through to about 2032. The 2024 has plenty to give young, though a few years in the cellar will trade primary fruit for the honeyed, spiced character that older Alsace Pinot Gris develops.