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A few days ago, the French Ministry of Agriculture granted Grand Cru d'Alsace status to the Pinot Noir from the Kirchberg vineyard in Barr (Bas-Rhin) and the Hengst vineyard in Wintzenheim (Haut-Rhin).
The Kirchberg stretches over 40.6 ha of marl limestone, lying southeast between 220 and 350 m above sea level. Pinot Noir occupies about 4 ha there, which are currently cultivated by eight wineries. The Hengst site covers 53 ha of marl-limestone-sandstone soils at 270 to 360 m above sea level. Ten producers produce their Pinot Noir there on 5 ha of vineyards. Four wineries there work organically, six biodynamically.
The first Grand Cru wines will be produced with the 2022 vintage. "This recognition is the culmination of a lengthy effort," commented Christophe Ehrhart, who produces red wine there as farm manager of Domaine Josmeyer, "it is the appropriate award for a grape variety that has been known in Alsace since the 12th century." The applications for approval were already submitted in 2016. The decision about the Grand Cru application of the Pinot Noir from the Vorbourg vineyard in Rouffach, which was also submitted at that time, was postponed by those responsible. However, it remains in candidate status.
So far, only Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Muscat and most recently Sylvaner have been approved for Grand Cru wines in Alsace.
(uka / Source: Vitisphere - Photo: Wikipedia - Cjp24)