What's new in Alsace - Domaine Geschickt

9/28/17 -

Today we offer the first installment in a series of emails meant to shed light on the dynamic wines and winemakers of Alsace, with a focus on producers who work organically and biodynamically in the vineyards and with little or no added sulfites in the cellar. Our spotlight today is on Domaine Geschickt in Ammerschwihr. The estate was started by Bernadette Meyer and Jérôme Geschickt in the 1950s, and has been carried on by the affable Frédéric Geschickt, who took over the in 1993 and converted to organic and biodynamic farming in 1998.

In a visit to Alsace earlier this year, I was delighted to find many long-time organic and biodynamic estates, steeped in the traditions of the past, but also fully embracing of what some might call a new trend of "natural" winemaking. Domaine Geshickt is a prime example. Frédéric produces classic Alsatian wines, some from the Grand Cru sites of Kaefferkopf and Wineck-Schlossberg, and at the same time has been experimenting with Pet-Nats (methode ancestrale sparkling wines), skin macerated whites (or "orange" wines), and vinifications without added sulfites. All of the wines have impressive mineral depth, and great acidity, thanks to decades of biodymamic farming that have helped to express the terroir of Ammerschwihr, rich in calcium and magnesium, with subsoils of granite, limestone, chalk and sandstone (did we mention Alsace has an outrageous variety of soil types?). When I first tasted the wines, I tried 11 different cuvées, some clean and precise, others a bit opaque and "funky," and I can truthfully say I was impressed with each and every one!

During my trip to Alsace, I spent some time chatting with Frédéric while tasting, and shared some great moments over wine and tarte flambee with his nephew Arnaud, who joined the domaine in 2012, and their friend Aurelie Fayolle, who joined in 2013 as business director. Maybe it's the sunny weather, or something in the wine, but they were all amazingly gratious, funny, open and warm people. There's this sense that they are very focused and intentional with their farming and their approach to winemaking, but also open-minded and relaxed, and they don't seem to take themselves too seriously. It turned out that every winemaker I visited while in the region shared these qualities, which makes sharing their wines with you a real joy! 

So, welcome to the new Alsace! We hope you enjoy the wines as much as we do, and make sure to keep your eyes out for our next installment. 

-Eben Lillie 

P.S. for more info on Geschickt, check out their website here.