The Wine Maker’s Labour - Domaine Edmond RENTZ - LES VINS D'ALSACE D'EXCEPTION À ZELLENBERG

Our estate, which is located in the heart of Alsace, between Riquewihr and Berghei, is made up of 27 hectares of vines spread out over an area with a number of geological faults.

We work on 100 plots of vines located on 6 municipalities: Beblenheim, Riquewihr, Zellenberg, Hunawihr, Ribeauvillé and Bergheim.

This patchwork of parcels allows us to produce 11 varieties of grapes (Chasselas, Sylvaner, Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Chardonnay, Muscat d’Alsace, Muscat Ottonel, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris) and select 7 terroirs and exceptional grands crus: Froehn, Schoenenbourg, Sonnenglanz, Grafenreben, Lerchenberg, Rotenberg and Burg. This variety allows us develop about thirty wines including dry and sweet whites, rosés as well as red and sparkling wines.

Our aim is to product good quality grapes in a well-preserved environment that meets the requirements laid out at the Grenelle Environment Forum. Careful and continuous monitoring of our vines by both ourselves and the Chamber of Agriculture ensures that we adapt and improve our agricultural practices. Each operation carried out is carefully thought out for the benefit of the vine’s development and well-being.

We prefer ploughing and grass covering that both respects our soil and maintains our land’s biodiversity. Ploughing encourages soil microbial life and allows our vines to lay deep roots, which in turn allows them to extract more minerals. Grass covering helps to maintain the flora and fauna’s biodiversity, makes use of organic matter, lessens soil erosion and is a fabulous tool to control yields to obtain a better quality of grape.

All year round, we use prophylactic procedures (de-suckering, de-budding, trellising, triming and leaf-thinning) that help prevent and mitigate the contraction of diseases such as powdery and downy mildew. In the event of heavy rainfalls, the vines are treated with a sulphur-based treatment. These actions are controlled and monitored in order to maintain our High Environmental Value certification, which is in response to consumer demands for healthy, genuine wines of a good quality.

We also dispense all necessary care when working in the vineyards including trimming, which influences on the quality of the grapes, wood shredding, pruning and plantings of new plots.

In order to face the challenges of the future we run, along with other fellow winemakers, a conservatory of old varieties of Riesling with the hope of being able to provide an original and good quality variety of grapes for future generations.

SPECIAL CARE FOR SPECIAL WINES

Using winemaking methods that are respectful of the vine, as well as its soil and environment, we painstakingly select and harvest the grapes when they reach their full maturity. After which, they are slowly pressed in a pneumatic wine-press in order to extract the juice and aromas.

The yeast that is naturally found in the grapes bring about the alcoholic fermentation in order to transform the grape juice into wine. Temperature controls are conducted throughout the fermentation process in order to guarantee long-lasting aromas and character.

Two to three months after fermentation, the wines are racked before starting the ripening process. Depending on their quality and aging potential, the wines are housed in different containers such as casks, 200-year old oak barrels, ceramic or stainless-steel tanks. Before being bottled, each container is filtered in order to guarantee the wine’s organic stability and conservation.

These measures help to develop some premium quality wines whose subtleness and fullness place them amongst France’s finest wines.