Domaine G. Metz Grand Cru Muenchberg Riesling

The Metz family has been growing vines around the village of Epfig, but the family’s main focus until 1920/25 was agriculture

Marcellin Metz began growing vines on land of the neighbouring village of Itterswiller in 1930, and in 1936 he decided to concentrate on producing grapes for wine.
Marcellin passed on his knowledge to his 2 sons and in 1966 Gérard and René decided to start bottling and marketing their own wines.

Gérard and René took a great deal of care over quality of their wine meant sales soon began to grow in France.
Over the years, they grew their estate by buying some excellent terroirs both in Itterswiller and nearby.

Domaine G. METZ now comprises over 18 ha of vineyards located across the renowned hillsides of Itterswiller, Epfig, Nothalten, Gertwiller, Obernai, Heiligenstein, Andlau and Mittelbergheim.
Aujourd’hui, le Domaine G. METZ se compose de plus de 18 ­hectares de vignes situées sur les coteaux réputés d’Itterswiller, Epfig, ­Nothalten, Gertwiller, Obernai, Heiligenstein, Andlau et Mittelbergheim.

In 1989, Eric Casimir, who originally came from Champagne, married one of Gérard’s daughters and moved to Itterswiller. To learn the trade, he spent 3 years at the agricultural lycée of Obernai and then 5 years working in the vineyards of the family estate. Eric took over winemaking duties from Gérard in 1996

Domaine G.Metz wines are sold to the general public, wine merchants and to restaurants in France and abroad. 35 % of the estate’s wine production was sold for export (Great Britain, Czech Republic, China, Japan, USA, etc...)

"For several generations, our family devoted ourselves with fervour and enthusiasm to this divine alchemy born of a subtile bond of terroir and grape variety.
Winemakers above all, we defend an exacting ethics of our profession which leads us to produce only Alsace wines grapes from the best grapes and raised in traditional rules.
We campaign in favor of a environmentally friendly viticulture that respects the environment and we drive our production with strict specifications. These are the essential conditions for protecting our environment and practising sustainable viticulture.

This is why we stopped using insecticides since 2002, while for the last 10 years, we have been treating our leaves with products used in organic agriculture (copper, sulphur, oligo-elements, etc.). We currently plough every other row. Debudding is carried out in both young and older parcels in order to restrict yields.
Our domaine has been certifi ed HVE level 3 since 2017 and Terra Vitis for 8 years. We are currently in organic conversion.

In the cellar, 60% of the vats are made of wood, some of which are over 100 years old. We prefer slow fermentation with native yeasts, skin macerations, low-pressure pressing and aging on whole lees.
Whether ‘‘fruit wine’’ or ‘‘cellar wine’’, we make fine, elegant, sometimes fruity or mineral, gourmet Alsace wines."

Riesling,

30 to 50 year old vines grown on volcanic sediments sandstone. The Grand Cru Muenchberg has a south-facing hillside with excellent drainage and heat retention. This soil has its own unique microclimate.

Manual harvest, low pressing. Cold settling (24 to 36 hours). Filtration of the must deposit and re-inclusion of them. Alcoholic fermentation (natural yeasts) with temperature control in stainless steel tank. Maturing on lees in large barrel (foudre) for 11 months.

Powerful, licorice, fennel and flinty notes on the nose. On the palate, mineral and saline, flinty aromas, nice balance acidity and roundness, finish dry.

Drink as an aperitif or with scallops, fish, hot oysters, lobster, frog legs, burgundy snail, river fish.