OG Alsace, Before It Got Fancy; Weinbach’s Field Blend
Before Alsace became obsessed with bottling every grape separately, there were field blends. Vineyards were planted the old way as a hedge against bad vintages where Riesling grew next to Pinot Gris, Auxerrois, Muscat, Sylvaner, and whatever else the vigneron trusted enough to share dirt with. One harvest. One fermentation. One wine. Beautiful chaos. The 2023 Domaine Weinbach “Les Vignes du Prêcheur” is exactly that spirit bottled for modern drinkers lucky enough to get their hands on it.
Weinbach’s estate dates back to 1612, when Capuchin monks cultivated the vineyards surrounding the Clos des Capucins in Kaysersberg. The Faller family took over the estate in 1898 and turned it into one of the unquestioned legends of Alsace farming biodynamically before it was fashionable, while still being fiercely traditional.
Riesling brings the electric spine. Pinot Gris brings texture and smoky breadth. Auxerrois adds flesh. Muscat lifts the aromatics. Sylvaner sneaks in freshness and herbs. Instead of competing, they lock arms and swagger across your palate together like an extremely well-dressed gang.
This is the magic trick Alsace pulls better than almost anywhere else in the world. These wines have texture. They have depth. They actually taste like wine instead of refrigerated lemon water. But they also stay vibrant and alive, making them absurdly versatile at the table.
“Les Vignes du Prêcheur” drinks beautifully now with a little air, but there’s enough acid and structure here to evolve for years if you possess more self-control than the rest of us.
This is old-school Alsace with dirt under its fingernails and impeccable manners.
92 Points, James Suckling
Wonderfully juicy and grapey, with excellent balance of peachy fruit, restrained creaminess, elegant acidity and fine tannins on the medium-bodied palate. A co-fermentation based on riesling with auxerrois, pinot gris, sylvaner and muscat. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink or hold.