THE WINE
Light and alive, full of bramble fruit and bags of cherry alongside pithy bit of grapefruit, juicy and on the fruit in 2024. Half whole bunch, half direct-press with 15 days maceration followed by 8 months on the lies in barrel.
 
Whilst 2024 itself was an incredibly wet year, as much as three to four times more rain than 2023, but with a warm August to help ripening, the resulting wines have great balance.
 
THE PEOPLE
Despite being the 7th generation to farm his family estate, Jean-Pierre is only the second as a winemaker and grower there. Previously the farm grew tobacco and started to see vines planted in the 1970s.  The domaine is still very much driven by a family-led culture. Vines are raised naturally, with terroir at the heart of the operation and no use of chemicals. Sulphur is very rarely used in the cellar, only when absolutely necessary.
 
A pioneer winemaker for the region, JP was the first to start experimenting with skin-contact techniques for his whites.  And, whilst we adore these it is the Pinots and sparkling wines that we turn to  when given the chance. 
 
THE PLACE
Mittelbergheim, in Alsace’s Bas-Rhin, is celebrated for its exceptional terroir,  especially for the Grand Cru Zotzenberg vineyard, whose marl-limestone soils and sunny slopes produce refined, mineral-driven wines. Uniquely, Zotzenberg allows Sylvaner alongside Alsace’s noble varieties, giving the village a distinctive identity. Local Riesling tends to be bright and saline, Pinot Gris richer and textured, and Sylvaner notably elegant and fresh. Compared with neighboring villages, Mittelbergheim’s wines are generally more restrained and mineral, with less opulence and more precision. With a long winemaking history and a strong focus on sustainable practices, it remains one of Alsace’s most characterful wine villages.