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IT Between wooden posts and the slopes of the Vosges: Domaine Trapet Alsace in Riquewihr combines Alsatian tradition with Burgundian precision. Andrée Trapet took over the family estate in 2002 and now runs it together with her husband Jean-Louis – who vinifies legendary Pinot Noirs in Gevrey-Chambertin – according to biodynamic principles.
15 hectares are spread across four Grand Crus: Schlossberg, Schoenenbourg, Sonnenglanz and Sporen. Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris and Auxerrois grow on soils ranging from granite to shell limestone. Sons Pierre and Louis have taken over the day-to-day work – with an adventurous, experimental touch, as seen in the macerated Ambre wines. Demeter-certified, vinified dry, with vibrant acidity.
More about Trapet Alsace
Two Regions, One Family
When Andrée married Jean-Louis Trapet, Burgundy became connected with Alsace. He, the Pinot Noir virtuoso from Gevrey-Chambertin. She, daughter of a winemaking family from Riquewihr. In 2002, Andrée took over her parents' estate – not to sell it, but to transform it. Her creed: "To preserve the expressive power and diversity of the vineyards for future generations."
Today the family divides its time between Trapet Père & Fils in Burgundy and Alsace. Both estates work under Demeter-certified biodynamic practices – pioneers in their respective regions. The sons Pierre (32) and Louis (30) have run the daily operations in Riquewihr since 2018 and bring fresh energy to the cellars.
Four Grand Crus, Four Terroirs
The crown jewels of the estate: Schlossberg (granite, the most taut Riesling), Schoenenbourg (marl, complex and long-lived), Sonnenglanz (clay-limestone, for opulent Gewürztraminer and Pinot Gris) and Sporen (heavy clay soils, powerful). Each vineyard site its own character.
The Riesling Schlossberg Grand Cru embodies the Trapet ideal: dry, mineral, precise. The wines of Alsace here do not carry the typical residual sweetness of many neighbours, but instead display Burgundian rigour with Alsatian aromatics. Little wonder given the family history.
The Ambre Revolution
Pierre and Louis have set their own accents. Their Ambre series – macerated white wines – build bridges to the orange wine movement. The Ambre Rouge (macerated Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris), the Ambre Blanc (Muscat), the Ambre Jaune (Riesling): each wine a colour study, each a flavour discovery.
Plus the Chapelle 1441 – named after the year the chapel in Riquewihr was built. The Chapelle 1441 rouge is a rare Alsatian red wine from Pinot Noir that shows what this variety can achieve here when given space.
Tradition of Wooden Stakes
A look at the vineyards reveals: here they still work with Échalas – the traditional wooden stakes that support each vine individually. More labour-intensive than wire trellising, but gentler on the vine. The soils are kept green, copper and sulphur reduced to a minimum. Biodynamic preparations strengthen vitality.
The result? Wines of rare liveliness. The A Minima blanc – counterpart to the Burgundian A Minima – shows what is possible when you trust the wine: unsulphited, spontaneously fermented, full of energy. Alsace, as authentic as it could possibly be.