Sparr's 1992 Chasselas Vieilles Vignes exhibits an attractive crisp, buttery, floral-scented nose, tasty, fresh, medium-bodied flavors, and good ripeness, length, and precision. An excellent bargain, it should drink well for 1-2 years. While Sparr's wines are rarely capable of hitting the peaks reached by the likes of Alsace's Domaine Weinbach, Zind-Humbrecht, Albert Mann, or Bernard Schoffit, they are consistently reliable as well as fairly priced. All of the offerings reviewed in this issue are attractive, up-front, delicious, dry whites for drinking over the next 2-10 years, depending on the cuvee. Several other Sparr 1992s that are priced in the $12.50-14.00 range (too high for this article) are noteworthy wines. Consumers should be on the lookout for the 1992 Pinot Blanc Vieilles Vignes (86), 1992 Riesling Reserve (87; wonderful mineral/orange-like flavors in a dry, medium-bodied format), 1992 Pinot Gris Reserve (87; spicy, oily, buttery, and chewy), and the 1992 Gewurztraminer Reserve (88; textbook rose petal/grapefruit flavors in a full-bodied, dry format). Importer: Hand Picked Selections, Dan Kravitz, Warrenton, VA.

Pierre Sparr produces some of the lowest-priced wines in Alsace. While 1991 is not the vintage 1989 and 1990 were, Sparr's lower level wines all display good clean fruit, fresh acidity, and enough body and perfume to win over consumers. The 1991 Chasselas-Vieilles Vignes is an elegant, fresh, lively wine with tart acidity, and a vibrant personality. Drink it over the next year. Importer: Dan Kravitz, Hand Picked Selections, Warrenton, VA.