Between wooden stakes and Vosges slopes: Domaine Trapet Alsace in Riquewihr combines Alsatian tradition with Burgundian precision. In 2002, Andrée Trapet took over her parents' estate and today runs it together with her husband Jean-Louis – who crafts legendary Pinot Noirs in Gevrey-Chambertin – according to biodynamic principles.
The estate owns plots in four Grands Crus: Schlossberg, Schoenenbourg, Sonnenglanz and Sporen. Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris and Auxerrois grow on soils ranging from granite to Muschelkalk limestone. Their sons Pierre and Louis have taken over the day-to-day work – bringing an experimental touch, for instance with the macerated Ambre wines. Demeter-certified, vinified dry, with vibrant acidity.
More about Trapet Alsace
Two regions, one family
When Andrée Trapet married Jean-Louis, Burgundy joined forces with Alsace. He, the Pinot Noir virtuoso from Gevrey-Chambertin. She, the daughter of a winemaking family from Riquewihr. In 2002, Andrée took over her parents’ estate – not to sell it, but to transform it. Her credo: “To preserve the expressiveness 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 according to Demeter-certified biodynamic principles – pioneers in their respective regions. Their sons Pierre and Louis have taken over the day-to-day work in Riquewihr, bringing a breath of fresh air into the cellars.
Four Grands Crus, four terroirs
The estate’s crown jewels: Schlossberg (granite, producing the tautest 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 has 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 tension combined with Alsatian aromatics. Hardly surprising given the family history.
The Ambre revolution
Pierre and Louis have added their own signature. Their Ambre series – macerated white wines – builds 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 study in colour, each a discovery on the palate.
Then there is the Chapelle 1441 – named after the year the chapel in Riquewihr was built. The Chapelle 1441 rouge is a rare Alsatian red wine made from Pinot Noir, demonstrating what this grape variety can achieve here when given room to express itself.
The tradition of wooden stakes
A glance into the vineyards reveals that work here is still done 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 cover-cropped, while copper and sulphur are reduced to a minimum. Biodynamic preparations strengthen vitality.
The result? Wines of rare liveliness. The A Minima blanc – the counterpart to the Burgundian A Minima – shows what is possible when you trust the wine: sulphur-free, spontaneously fermented, full of energy. Alsace at its most authentic.