Domaine Binner Cotes d'Amourschwihr

Winemaker: Christian Binner

Appellation: Ammerschwihr, Alsace, France

Grape Varieties: Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Auxerrois

Field blended grapes are hand harvested, de-stemmed and pressed to ferment in large Alsatian foudre. Zero suflur added, unfined, unfiltered.

Owner & winemaker: Christian Binner

Vineyard area: 8 hectares, estate-owned + 7ha in long-term rental from 2 local biodynamic growers

Vineyard management: certified organic (AB-Ecocert) and biodynamic

Soils: highly diverse depending on the vineyard – granite, pebbles, sand, mica-schist, loess, limestone…

Main varieties: Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Muscat, Pinot Noir

Annual production (approx.): 60,000 bottles

Winemaking: manual harvest, spontaneous fermentation only, aging in old foudres or tanks in Christian’s anthroposophic cellar. No fining, no filtration, no sulfur added

Fun facts

• The Binners have been making wine in Ammerschwihr since 1770; Christian took over the domaine in 1999 and doubled down on the traditional farming methods that were upheld by his father and grandfather
• Christian still farms the vines planted by his grandfather in 1930; the average age of their vineyards is 30+ years
• The wines are made and age in a special bioclimatic cellar constructed in the 2010s according to anthroposophical principles, using only local materials and natural shapes
• Using it all: Christian’s girlfriend Michele makes oil and cosmetics from the grape seeds left over after pressing
• Besides making his own delicious wines, Christian also started Les Vins Pirouettes in 2015, an umbrella brand that mentors and markets his fellow Alsatian biodynamic and organic growers – a beautiful range of glou-glou natural wines that we also have the pleasure to represent!