Bob Campbell is one of only 264 Masters of Wine in the world. An international wine judge, Bob judges wine professionally in ten countries and contributes regularly to publications around the world. His specialty is New Zealand wine which he reviews from an international perspective.
Mr Alsace – portrait of a wine enthusiast
Alsace - Paradis sur Terre
Lance Cameron lives with his wife, Pamela, and their two cats in a rural setting near Tauranga. He works as a salesman selling wine for Constellation but his secret passion is the wines of Alsace. While others head for the beach during their summer holidays Lance travels to Europe to work in the annual Alsace grape harvest.
“My love affair with Alsace started on my first visit to the region. I was working a vintage at Domaine Chibert at Fuisse in the Macon when a fellow worker suggested I stay with his parents in Alsace once the harvest was complete. I took his advice and instantly fell in love with the place.”
“I clearly remember having a sort of epiphany a couple of days after arriving in the region. I’d just posted a letter and hopped back into the car when I suddenly felt a profound sense of peacefulness. It was an amazing experience – I suddenly felt as though I’d arrived at my spiritual home, it was like arriving at somewhere I’d lived in a past life.”
I’ve now worked eight vintages in Alsace and I love the place. Alsace is my mistress. I’m totally seduced by everything to do with the region – the food, the wine, the people – I love everything about the place.”
Lance imports about 70 cases of Alsace wine each year. That represents a significant chunk of New Zealand’s annual importation of Alsace wine which is a humble 2000 cases. Lance doesn’t sell his wines “that would take the fun out of it” but shares his precious bottles with a network of wine loving friends. Happily I am one of them.
I’ve just tasted 25 of Lance’s latest Alsace imports from producers Dirler, Bernhard & Reibel, Frederic Mochel and Aime Stentz. Is this the first time a single New Zealand tasting has featured eight different Alsace grape varieties? They included Sylvaner, Pinot Blanc, Muscat, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Riesling Gewurztraminer and Auxerrois Blanc. There were many gems in the tasting although my favourite single bottle was an exquisite Dirler 2008 Grand Cru Kessler Gewurztraminer. It was so good I almost had an epiphany!
All wines are reviewed on this website.
September 8th, 2011 at 10:48 pm
No, don’t ask him about the tattoo, will you?
September 9th, 2011 at 10:02 am
Yeah, should have mentioned that he received a tattoo voucher and had it done on impulse. When he takes his shirt off while working in an Alsace vineyard he becomes an instant hero with the locals.