Julien Schaal Riesling Grand Cru Schoenenbourg

Winemaker Julien Schaal on the winery

“When we founded our winery in 2011, we wanted to focus entirely on the exceptional Grand Cru vineyards of Alsace. We are fascinated by the region’s wide variety of soils and their influence on Riesling. Together with Sophie and our partners, we work with vineyards that each have their own distinctive character. In the cellar, we favour careful, slow fermentation with natural yeasts and minimal intervention. This allows the grape and terroir to express themselves fully. Our aim is to craft wines that are not only refined, but above all, speak clearly of where they come from.”

And on Alsace, France

“Our Riesling comes from Schoenenbourg, one of the 51 officially recognised Grand Cru terroirs of Alsace. Grand Cru represents the top tier of the region’s appellation system: these vineyards are strictly delimited because of their distinctive soils, exposure and climate. Together, they account for only around 4% of Alsace’s wine production. Schoenenbourg lies just north of Riquewihr, on steep slopes with soils that include marl, dolomite and gypsum. We hand-harvest our Riesling and allow the must to ferment slowly with natural yeasts. The result is a concentrated wine combining ripe citrus, stone fruit and subtle honeyed notes with pronounced minerality, fresh acidity and a long finish.”