Domaine Kirrenbourg - Riesling Grand Cru Schlossberg 2020

The 2020 Grand Cru Schlossberg Riesling K offers a fascinating and distinctive bouquet that is clear, subtle and elegant, showing ripe pear and ginger as well as herbal notes that makes it an excellent choice with Asian dishes, all the more since the wine stopped fermenting at eight grams per liter of residual sugar. This gives the Kirrenbourg an additional richness, but it is still a delicate, fine, mouthwatering Riesling with a long and intense finish. 13.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in April 2024.

Samuel Tottoli, formerly of Kuentz-Bas, is now responsible for the wines of the Domaine Kirrenbourg, formerly Martin Schaetzel by Kirrenbourg, and before that Martin Schaetzel. Since 2015, the owner has been Marc Rinaldi, a man in his mid-eighties who made his fortune with window patents and a racetrack for hobby racers. Rinaldi bought the renowned domaine from Martin Schaetzel and gradually rebranded; it has been operating under its current name since 2019. The winery is named after the Kirrenbourg vineyard in the grand cru Schlossberg. This "Terroir K" is located on the eastern side of the mountain and produces completely different wines than the barren and hot southern side. The Domaine Kirrenbourg is predominantly built of wood, glass and, of course, concrete and is one of the most chic boutique wineries in Alsace. Nevertheless, a few days before my visit in April 2024, without any warning and in broad daylight, all the roof tiles slipped off the steeply rising gable roof. Thankfully, no one was hurt.

In the small winery, which is clearly visible from the tasting room through a tinted window, are the most expensive thermal tanks, investments that I had already marveled at eight years ago. But Tottoli is now increasingly using small, alternative, more air-permeable containers such as Nomblot eggs or spherical Clayver clay pots, for the parcel-wise vinification. These vessels support the pure, fruity, elegant and finesse-rich style of the balanced and often delicate wines, which are a great pleasure to drink even when young. In any case, Tottoli does not extract the wines for Kirrenbourg or Hurst; instead, he speaks of “infusion” when it comes to his Pinots.

In the biodynamic vineyards, neither costs nor efforts are spared either; they are well cared for, even if April is an unfortunate witness to this. My statement is based on earlier visits and the processes described by the winemaker, who also takes care of the vines.

Incidentally, Rinaldi also owns the Domaine Hurst, for whose wines Tottoli is also responsible.