Visit to Alsace and Moselle, July 2012, part 1

As I was leaving my driveway and coasted toward the highway on Sunday July 1, a gentle, summery shower greeted me. You see, we Belgians tend to be gentle to the elements, for reasons that readers accustomed with our capricious weather will understand. This trip was bound for the wine regions of Alsace and Mosel, where I had made appointments with some of my suppliers, mainly to taste how their 2011 vintage is shaping up. Additionally, I wanted to explore some domaines that had recently caught my attention.

Domaine Audrey et Christian Binner, Ammerschwir (Haut Rhin)

Prior to heading for the highlight of my first day, Domaine Ostertag in Epfig, I had planned a few stopovers. The first one was at Domaine Audrey et Christian Binner, where I was received by Binner’s sister.

The Binners practice organic viticulture and winemaking, meaning they work as naturally as possible both in their vineyards as well as in their cellars. To succeed in this, an utmost respect for the vines and the entire eco-system that embraces them is required. It is about working ‘with’ nature, instead of ‘against’ it. This is no mean feat, as working naturally requires a lot of labor, discipline, attention and a strictly minimal intervention.



The majority of the approximately 60 different wines Domaine Binner produces are fermented ‘to dry’, meaning that (near) all sugars will have vanished after fermentation. The results are dry and aromatic wines, which clearly display the influence of vintage and terroir. Whilst dryness may be a more common characteristic of a Riesling wine, your typical Pinot Gris or Gewurztraminer tends to be finished with some (or more) residual sugars. The Riesling wines from the Grand Cru vineyard Kaefferkopf represent the largest
share of production. This vineyard was only promoted to Grand Cru status in 2007. In his array of wines, Christian Binner also offers some very attractive Crémants d'Alsace and whites made of ‘assemblages’ of Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Auxerrois.

Binner’s wines may not be for everyone, but they are seriously good examples of what Alsace is capable of delivering. At the same time they are a far cry from the often stereotypical style one ordinarily encounters here.

Domaine Meyer-Fonne, Katzenthal (Haut Rhin)

At a mere stone's throw from Ammerschwihr lies the quaint village of Katzenthal. One does not end up in Katzenthal by accident. Coming from Ammerschwihr, a very nice way to get there is to follow the ‘Chemin Kaefferkopf’, which cuts right through the vineyards.

In Katzenthal, I represent Domaine Meyer-Fonne. Felix Meyer, who did at stint at Olivier Humbrecht’s (Domaine Zind-Humbrecht), makes pure, fruity wines of a very solid and reliable quality. Especially his Pinot Blanc Vieilles Vignes and base Riesling, both vinified dry, offer a lot of wine for little money.

A quick tasting of the round and accessible 2011 vintage confirmed that everything is in good shape here!

Domaine Gerard Schueller, Husseren-les-Châteaux (Haut Rhin)

I had had the privilege of relishing some Domaine Gérard Schueller wines in the past. Since I was nearby Husseren-les-Châteaux, and I had some time left till my next point of call, I jumped at the chance and boldly rang the doorbell. Fortunately, the very nice and likeable Bruno Schueller did not seem to mind my unannounced visit.

Maverick Schueller makes bio-dynamic wines, entirely in his own style and averse to all INAO (and other) regulations. Some of the vineyards where he owns vines are the Grand Crus Pfersigberg and Eichberg.

Schueller does not like to "make" wine. Because of his minimal intervention approach, he uses no or only a minimal amount of sulphur during vinification. The wines are fully fermented until (almost) all residual sugars are dissolved (aka ‘fermented to dry’), which results in a compelling depth, balance and minerality. This means that some of Schueller's wines may spend several years (his record is 7 years!) in centenarian ‘foudres’, before they are bottled, which is quite unique. Note that the wines (generally) receive no sulphur
treatments during their entire ‘elevage’, and just a measly bit pre-bottling. Of course, as these are ‘living wines’, there may be an odd faulty or out-of-balance bottle.

Schueller makes several cuvées of each of the Alsatian grape varieties, many of which are single vineyard wines, including those from the coveted (but under-appreciated) Bildstœckle vineyard, located in Obermorschwihr, near Eguisheim. Over the years, Domaine Schueller has received many kudos for its range of Pinot Noir ‘cuvees’. The sheer class of these wines is undisputed amongst his peers, and I am told they can compete with many a good red Burgundy. Being a long-standing Burgundy lover myself, I wanted to verify this myself. Unfortunately, my visit was somewhat ill-timed, as Schueller was preparing for bottling and I only tasted a number of white wines from ‘foudre’.

André Ostertag in the Zellberg vineyard,
near Nothalten

I managed to obtain a bottle of Pinot Noir 2005 ‘cuvee LN’, which I tried at home and tasted utterly magical! His whites are very atypical wines. These are a style of Alsace wines that you may never have tasted before!

Domaine Ostertag, Epfig (Bas-Rhin)

In the afternoon I hurried to Domaine Ostertag. André Ostertag is a very amiable man and gifted winemaker who started working biodynamically a long time ago. My visit came at a rather inconvenient time. Andre's vineyards had been hit hard by a passing hailstorm the day before. Nevertheless, he spent almost an entire afternoon with me.

Andre invited me to visit some of his vineyards. in his Landrover, we drove to ‘Zellberg’, ‘Fronholz’ and close to ‘Muenchberg’.

View of the Muenchberg vineyard in winter, near Nothalten

The tasting at Ostertag consisted of a wide range of wines, almost all 2010s, as most of his 2011s had yet to be bottled. Andre calls 2010 the coldest year of the past decade, and this is noticeable when tasting the wines. They have a somewhat closed character, are a tad more acidic and their quality will only revealed itself after some time. The year 2011 however, brought about wines that will be rounder, greasy and therefore enjoyable at a younger age. My overall impression was overwhelming: pure, mineral and, certainly in the case of 2010, very precise and terroir-specific.

There is no doubt that the exquisite wines from Domaine Ostertag are part of the very best one can find in Alsace. And yet there is another aspect, which sets them apart from other domaines. Andre's partner Christine Colin designed for each bottle a label that reflects the ‘terroir’ and the true "soul" of the wine it enfolds. Each of these labels is a pure work of art. In short, art is not only inside the bottle, but also outside!


Label designs for Ostertag's wines, designed by Christine Colin (pictures below):

And the end result on some labels (picture below):

Here you can find our selection of Domaine Ostertag.

Restaurant Aux Saison Gourmandes, Barr (Bas-Rhin)

I enjoyed a highly tasteful dinner at Restaurant Aux Saisons Gourmandes in Barr (near Epfig), a town that does not otherwise offer very much. The wine list includes some really nice bottles, including some Ostertag’s. My companion and I chose an excellent Riesling from Domaine Marc Kreydenweiß, whom I wish to visit on one of my next trips.

END OF PART 1. | Continue reading PART 2