Domaine Rémy Gresser

Facts and wines

Domaine Gresser is a domaine that can trace its history back to 1520. The vineyard has 11 ha of fields in Andlau (Alsace) characterized by an exceptional variation in soil types, which together with the many different exposures and altitudes create a sea of diverse world-class terroirs . Domaine Gresser is (uncompromisingly) certified organic and bases the work with the vines on the course of nature and the change of weather. Gresser has deliberately chosen to work with grapes that offer the best opportunity to express the terroir precisely: Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Sylvaner, Muscat and Pinot Noir.

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Products

Red wine

Pinot Noir Brandhof 2016/2018
Clos de l'Ourse Pinot Noir 2014

White wine

Chalk Riesling 2019
Duttenberg Riesling 2018
Duttenberg Sylvaner 2014
Chalk Pinot Blanc 2018
Pinot Blanc “Saint-André” 2017
Pinot Gris Bandhof 2018
Brandhof Pinot Gris VT 2007
Kastelberg Riesling Grand Cru 2002
Kastelberg Grand Cru Riesling 2017
Kastelberg Riesling Grand Cru SGN 2006
Moenchberg Grand Cru Riesling 2015
Moenchberg Gewurztrauminer Grand Cru 2016
Wiebelsberg Riesling Grand Cru 2000
Wiebelsberg Grand Cru Riesling 2000 VT
Wiebelsberg Grand Cru Riesling 1999 VT
Wiebelsberg Grand Cru Riesling 2006 Vieilles Vignes
Wiebelsberg Grand Cru Riesling 2014
Wiebelsberg Grand Cru Pinot Gris 2013
Kritt Gewurztraminer 2017
Muscat Brandhof 2018

Sparkling

Crémant d'Alsace

DOMAIN FOUNDED IN 1667

An impressive family tree in the entrance area of Domaine Gresser shows that the family has been involved with wines for as long as it can be traced back (year 1520). The domain itself was founded in 1667, so you can safely talk about generations of experience in the Gresser family.

EXCEPTIONAL MOSAIC OF TERROIRS IN ONE OF THE BEST AREAS OF ALSACE

The winery is located in the middle of Andlau, a charming little town located in the northern part of Alsace between Strasbourg and Colmar. The town lies in a narrow valley surrounded by heights of up to 400 m and steep slopes. These heights form the eastern end of the Vosges mountain range and create an extremely favorable microclimate which enables the production of high quality wines.

TERROIR AS PHILOSOPHY

Already in the 12th century, under the ownership of the powerful Andlau abbess, it was established that the different slopes produced wines of different character and the fields were divided accordingly. This legacy has been passed on to today's producers and it is precisely this awareness that guides Rémy Gresser's work today.

ECOLOGY AND BIODYNAMICS

In order to express nature (the earth, the exposure, the height, the water conditions, the wind, etc.) it is necessary for Rémy Gresser to work naturally. The fields have therefore been cultivated organically and biodynamically since the late 90s (official certification 2010). For Rémy Gresser, it is about creating an environment that is favorable for the well-being of the vines, so that they can produce healthy and ripe grapes in a natural way. Emphasis is placed on the life in the soil, which must be protected, because it is the animals (earthworms and various insects) as well as the bacteria that transform the organic elements into nutrition that the plants can absorb.

Plant diversity is also in focus because it creates living conditions for a number of predators that limit the spread of "pests" that can threaten the harvest. Therefore, 3 to 5% of the field's area is covered with other crops – including fruit trees. The grass and other wild plants are of course also allowed to grow, as part of the ecosystem. The grass and the other plants (herbs, flowers, etc.) are necessary because they hold the soil and protect against erosion, while ultimately turning into nutritious compost. All this makes it possible to grow without the use of pesticides.

NO FIXED RECIPE

There are no fixed recipes or fixed calendar when you go for growing first-class grapes in a natural way. Weather conditions change during the growing season and all vintages are different. As explained above, this means that Rémy Gresser must constantly adapt his way of farming. In wet periods, the canes must e.g. leaves are thinned to provide good air circulation and drying (and thus avoid rot), while in very sunny periods the leaves must be allowed to grow to give the grapes shade.

In organic production, only natural means are used to protect the plants. In very humid periods, when the wine is threatened by mildew, for example, it is treated with the natural agents sulfur and copper, which are applied to the plants manually from outside. But it also means that in very rainy periods, Rémy and his team have to go out and treat the plants after every shower, because the protective solution is washed off the leaves. Conventional producers, who use chemicals to protect their crops, are less subject to the whims of nature. They primarily use systemic agents, which are absorbed through the roots and protect the plants from the inside and for a longer period of time.

This prompts Rémy to state:

"Conventional viticulture is largely managed from a desk, often in collaboration with a consultant from the chemical companies. A treatment calendar is established for the whole year based on the duration of the chemicals' effect in the plants and not on the current need. On the other hand, as an organic and biodynamic producer, I have to spend my time in the fields to find out what each individual plant needs. And since we do not have such strong means available as conventional production, we are forced to take care of preventing the problems rather than just treating them”.

THE MINERALITY OF DOMAINE GRESSER WINE

The mineral expression (often called minerality) in the wine is the signature of the terroir. Most quality wines are grown on poor soil, where the bedrock is close to the surface. The roots of the vines can thus easily reach it and thus absorb the mineral elements of which it is composed.

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Domaine Rémy Gresser

Facts and wines

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