The German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter) organized a Domaine Weinbach tasting. It took place at our home and was limited to 16 people in order to fit around our large round table. Incoming GWS Secretary Joseph Aguiar was the event coordinator. Annette Schiller provided an overview on the wines of Alsace as well as some background information on Domaine Weinbach.
The Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours always goes through Alsace and the group visited Domaine Weinbach in 2015: At Domaine Weinbach in Kaysersberg, Alsace, with Catherine Faller: Tasting and Tour – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France
See also:
Heads up for the 2017 Tours - to Germany and France - by ombiasy WineTours
Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Domaine Weinbach is one of the most prominent estates in Alsace. It is beautifully situated at the foot of the majestic Schlossberg hill within the Clos des Capucines, the former Capuchin monastery still today completely surrounded by a high stone wall.
See:
Visiting Colette Faller at Domaine Weinbach in Kaysersberg in Alsace
Domaine Weinbach Wines and Alsatian Food with Winemaker Catherine Faller, Alsace, and Chef Jacques E. Haeringer, Virginia
At Domaine Weinbach in Kaysersberg, Alsace, with Catherine Faller: Tasting and Tour – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France
The Grande Dame of Alsatian Wine, Colette Faller of Domaine Weinbach, Passed Away at Age 87, France
White Wine: Alsace versus Germany
It was very interesting to taste the Maison Léon Beyer and Domaine Weinbach wines and compare them with the German wines. Even wines of the same grape variety are distinctively different. This is due to different terroir but in a large part to the different philosophy of winemaking in Germany and Alsace. In a nutshell: the modern German winemaking aims at elegant, fruity, crisp, perfectly balanced wines whereas the Alsatian winemaker wants body, boldness and strength for the wines to accompany the hearty Alsatian food.
See also:
The World Class Wines of Alsace
In the world class white wine region Alsace
Domaine Weinbach
Domaine Weinbach is located just outside the castle-crowned town of Kaysersberg, the birthplace of 1952 Nobel Peace Prize winner Albert Schweitzer.
Kaysersberg, with its ancient buildings, Germanic half-timbered gingerbread houses and cobblestoned streets, is a magical place surrounded by some of Alsace's finest vineyards. Among them are Weinbach's Monopole Vineyard Clos des Capucins and the Grand Crus Schlossberg and Furstenstum, which have major holdings owned or controlled by the Fallers.
The Domaine Weinbach is a former monastery built in 1612 by capucines monks, who made wine already on the Clos. During the French Revolution, the monastery was seized and sold as a national property. In 1898, it was acquired by the Faller brothers. The Faller brothers left it to their son and nephew Théo. He, a prominent figure in Alsace winegrowing, was devoted to Domaine Weinbach all his life and developed, expanded and enhanced it.
Colette, Laurence and Catherine Faller
After Théo’s death in 1979, the winery was managed by his widow Colette and their two daughters, Laurence and Catherine, who continued the commitment to quality.
Robert M. Parker Jr. wrote that Colette Faller, "a robust, vivacious woman of extraordinary charm and vision, has turned out a dazzling succession of profound Rieslings, Gewurtztraminers, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blancs and dry Muscats from her surrounding vineyards."
Picture: Christian Schiller and the Late Colette Faller at Domaine Weinbach. See: Visiting Colette Faller at Domaine Weinbach in Kaysersberg in AlsaceMuch of the credit of course has to go to her daughters Catharine and Laurence Faller. The latter studied chemical engineering, then took enology courses in Toulouse and Beaune. She even did a stint in California in 1989. In 1993, she returned to Domaine Weinbach and began assuming some of the winemaking duties. By 1996, she was making many of the winemaking decisions, and in 1998 she was given free rein as winemaker.
In 2014, Laurence died at age 47 from a tragic heart attack and in 2015 Colette passed away at age 87 in February 2015.
Catherine Faller, married to a dentist, now runs Domaine Weinbach with her sons Théo and Eddy. Ghislain Berthiot, who worked with Laurence for many years, continues to be in charge of winemaking.
Picture: Christian Schiller and Catherine Faller in Virginia. See: Domaine Weinbach Wines and Alsatian Food with Winemaker Catherine Faller, Alsace, and Chef Jacques E. Haeringer, Virginia
Winemaking Philosophy
Laurence Faller believed in minimal intervention in the winemaking process. The grapes are harvested by hand and whole-cluster pressed in horizontal pneumatic presses. The wines are fermented under the action of the indigenous yeast and aged in the same old upright oval casks that range in size from 3,000- to 6,000-liter capacity, then usually bottled after about seven months. The wines usually do not undergo malolactic fermentation.
In 1998 the Fallers started the process of converting to biodynamic winemaking. I quote the Fallers: “The main motivation is to increase soil activity and thus stimulate soil/root/aerial system exchanges with the objective of producing better quality, terroir driven and aromatically complex grapes and wines. Biodynamics helps us care for and protect our vines not only for now but also for future generations.”
Vineyards
Domaine Weinbach comprises 27 hectares. Although all the bottles of Domaine Weinbach bear the name of the Clos des Capucins, only a small number originate from the Clos itself. The rest come from the Faller's other holdings, including in their Grand Cru sites. Domaine Weinbach wines also come from vineyards they have leased and cultivate themselves.
Schlossberg is probably the most significant site, being the first vineyard in Alsace to have Grand Cru status approved in 1975. Furstentum is a south-southeast facing Grand Cru site, nestled in the Kaysersberg Valley to the northeast of Schlossberg. The vines in Grand Cru Mambourg, like Furstentum, are a recent purchase for the Faller Family. The nearby Altenbourg lieu-dit provides Pinot Gris as well as Gewurztraminer.
The Tasting
The wines of the tasting ranged from the entry-level Réserve wines to Grand Cru wines. We did not have any noble-sweet nor red wine.
2015 Domaine Weinbach Muscat Réserve
The Muscat Réserve is a blend from the Clos des Capucins and the marly limestone soil at the foot of the Altembourg. “Dry, with an incomparable fruitiness, it really gives the impression of biting a raisin. It can be a wonderful aperitif and goes really well with asparagus and lightly spiced dishes” said Colette Faller.
2015 Domaine Weinbach Sylvaner Réserve
There is a Sylvaner Réserve from the Clos des Capucins. “The Sylvaner is good with cooked pork meats, oysters, fish. It is also a thirst-quenching wine“ said Colette Faller.
2015 Domaine Weinbach Pinot Blanc Réserve
The Pinot Blanc Réserve is a blend of fruit from the Clos des Capucins and from vines at the foot of the Altenbourg lieu-dit.
2014 Domaine Weinbach Tokay Pinot Gris Cuvée Ste Catherine
The Tokay Pinot Gris Cuvée Ste Catherine is sourced from old vines in the Clos des Capucins. The other Pinot Gris cuvées come from lieu-dit Altenbourg. The Tokay Pinot Gris Cuvée Laurence is sourced from vines in the lower part of the Altenbourg vineyard, whereas the Tokay Pinot Gris Altenbourg Cuvée Laurence comes from the main part of the Altenbourg plot.
2015 Domaine Weinbach Riesling Cuvée Théo
2015 Domaine Weinbach Riesling Schlossberg Cuvée Ste Catherine Alsace Grand Cru
2008 Domaine Weinbach Riesling Schlossberg Cuvée Ste Catherine Alsace Grand Cru
The Riesling range starts with the Riesling Cuvée Théo, sourced from the Clos des Capucins, where Theo rests. The Riesling (and the Gewurtztraminer) that grow there bear his name.
The Riesling Grand Cru Schlossberg originates from the upper slopes of the Grand Cru Schlossberg vineyard. There are three further special cuvées from the Grand Cru Schlossberg: (1) Riesling Cuvée Ste Catherine, from the lower slopes of Schlossberg; the grapes are picked late (some time around the 25th of November, day of Sainte Catherine) so that they can enjoy the late autumn sun, (2) Riesling Grand Cru Schlossberg Cuvée Ste Catherine which comes from old vines on the mid-slope in Schlossberg, and (3) Riesling Grand Cru Schlossberg Cuvée Ste Catherine L’Inedit. "L'Inédit means the original one and is from the most beautiful plots. It is only produced when Riesling reaches an exceptional maturity” told us Colette Faller.
The Domaine Weinbachs Riesling wines have a fine and delicate fruitiness; they are racy, nervy, dry but at the same time they are mature and long on the palate. “Riesling holds a special place in our vineyards and in our hearts” said Colette Faller.
2015 Domaine Weinbach Gewurztraminer Cuvée Théo
2015 Domaine Weinbach Gewurztraminer Furstentum Alsace Grand Cru
As the Riesling, the Gewürztraminer Cuvée Théo originates from the Clos des Capucins. The remaining Gewürztraminer cuvées are predominantly from Altenbourg again. The Gewurztraminer Cuvée Laurence comes from the foot of the lieu-dit, and the Gewürztraminer Altenbourg Cuvée Laurence comes from the main part of the Altenbourg plot.
In addition, there is also the Gewürztraminer Grand Cru Furstentum Cuvée Laurence which comes from Grand Cru Furstentum.
Red and Noble Sweet Wines
We did not have any red wine nor any noble-sweet wine.
Red Wine: The Pinot Noir Réserve is sourced from the Clos des Capucins and Schlossberg.
Vendanges Tardives, Sélection de Grains Nobles and Quintessences de Grains Nobles: There are also Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles cuvees. However, many regard the greatest wines to be the Quintessences de Grains Nobles. “They are exceptional wines, remarkable because of their great aromatical complexity, of their rare concentration and their perfect balance” said Colette Faller.
The Quintessences de Grains Nobles are extremely rare nectars, produced in tiny quantities in only a few vintages. The word Quintessence was invented in Domaine Weinbach; it was used the first time to describe a sumptuous cuvée of the 1983 vintage.
Thanks
Thanks Domaine Weinbach, Annette Schiller and Joseph Aguiar for a great tasting.
schiller-Wine: Related Postings
Visiting Colette Faller at Domaine Weinbach in Kaysersberg in Alsace
Domaine Weinbach Wines and Alsatian Food with Winemaker Catherine Faller, Alsace, and Chef Jacques E. Haeringer, Virginia
The Grande Dame of Alsatian Wine, Colette Faller of Domaine Weinbach, Passed Away at Age 87, France
At Domaine Weinbach in Kaysersberg, Alsace, with Catherine Faller: Tasting and Tour – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France
The World Class Wines of Alsace
In the world class white wine region Alsace
Heads up for the 2017 Tours - to Germany and France - by ombiasy WineTours
Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)