Alsace ranking | First-half review 2020

Alsace is gaining more and more interest from wine enthusiasts of late, particularly thanks to the prices we see for some really interesting cuvées. Here is a review of how the Alsace region has performed in the first half of 2020.

Top Alsace lots
Rank Property Lot description Colour Price incl VAT Price per unit
1 Trimbach 3 Bouteille Riesling Clos Sainte-Hune Trimbach 2001 Blanc 626 € 209 €
2 Marcel Deiss 6 Bouteille Alsace Grand Cru Schoenenbourg Marcel Deiss 2000 Blanc Liquoreux 589 € 98 €
3 Hugel 2 Bouteille Riesling Sélection de Grains Nobles Hugel vendanges tardives 1976 Blanc Liquoreux 356 € 178 €
4 Zind-Humbrecht 3 Bouteille Riesling Grand Cru Rangen de Thann – Clos Saint Urbain Zind-Humbrecht  2015 Blanc 258 € 86 €
5 Albert Mann 6 Bouteille Riesling Grand Cru Furstentum Albert Mann 2014 Blanc 247 € 41 €
6 Albert Boxler 5 Bouteille Riesling Albert Boxler Grand Cru Brand 2010 Blanc 221 € 44 €
7 Seppi Landmann 3 Magnum Riesling Grand Cru Zinnkoepflé Seppi-Landmann Vendange Tardive 2001 Blanc 179 € 60 €
8 Weinbach 2 Bouteille Riesling Grand Cru Schlossberg Cuvée Sainte Catherine l’Inédit Weinbach 2008 Blanc 147 € 74 €
9 Patricia Gerber 5 Bouteille Riesling Auguste Gerber 1981 Blanc 129 € 26 €
10 Famille Ostertag 4 Bouteille Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives Fronholz Ostertag 2011 Blanc Liquoreux 123 € 31 €
11 Julien Meyer 3 Bouteille Alsace Zellberg L’Alternative Vin de Voile Julien Meyer 1998 Blanc 117 € 39 €
12 Pierre Frick 3 Bouteille Riesling Grand Cru Vorbourg Vendanges Tardives Pierre Frick 2000 Blanc Liquoreux 106 € 35 €
13 Famille Schoffit 3 Bouteille Pinot Gris (Tokay) Sélection de Grains Nobles Grand Cru Rangen Clos Saint Theobald Schoffit 2002 Blanc Liquoreux 106 € 35 €
14 Famille Trapet 3 Bouteille Riesling Grand Cru Schlossberg Domaine Trapet 2008 Blanc 99 € 33 €
15 Dirler Cade 3 Bouteille Riesling Grand Cru Kessler Heisse Wanne Dirler Cade 2005 Blanc 87 € 29 €
16 Anne-Marie Schmitt 3 Bouteille Riesling Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergbieten Roland Schmitt 1992 Blanc 87 € 29 €
17 Annelise Rietsch-Leret et Jean-Pierre Rietsch 3 Bouteille Alsace Savagnin Rose Pas à Pas Cuvée Perpétuelle Domaine Rietsch Blanc 86 € 29 €
18 Josmeyer 2 Bouteille Riesling Grand Cru Brand Josmeyer 2015 Blanc 80 € 40 €
19 Pierre Andrey 1 Bouteille Pinot noir Série 13 Gamay et Pinot Via Concordiae Pierre Andrey 2017 Rouge 74 € 74 €
20 Mittnacht-Klack 3 Bouteille Riesling Sélection de Grains Nobles Muhlforst Mittnacht-Klack 1989 Blanc Liquoreux 71 € 24 €

 

In our ranking of top lots, we have quite a notable top 3 in that they are each quite different from one another: we have the integrity of Trimbach’s Riesling Clos Sainte-Hune, the fullness of Deiss’ Schoenenbourg and the classicism of Maison Hugel. The highest-priced lot is composed of 3 bottles of 2001 Riesling Clos Sainte-Hune from Domaine Trimbach, which was sold for €626. This is a wine that often appears at the top of our ranking tables, as was the case in 2019 with 3 bottles of this cuvée (Vendanges Tardives Hors Choix) in the fine 1989 vintage, sold for €1,885. Nevertheless, this region is bursting with affordable gems, the average selling price by unit standing at €61 in this ranking. Out of the 20 lots in this table, there is only one large format, with 3 magnums of 2001 Riesling grand cru Zinnkoepflé Vendange Tardive from Seppi-Landmann in 7th place. This is very few compared to other regions such as Bordeaux where more generous bottles make up 25% of the overall ranking.

An important element to note is the share of biodynamic domains featured. 10 of the properties in the top 20 lots have biodynamic certification and, adding the 3 domains labelled organic, these two kinds of production take up 65% of the table. Moves towards alternative viticulture are clearly attracting wine lovers to this dynamic region.

In terms of the grape varieties found in this ranking, Alsace’s traditional grape – Riesling – is unsurprisingly the best-represented, featuring in no less than 70% of the cuvées listed. It is also no great surprise to see that there is only one red cuvée here, the 2017 Via Concordiae by Domaine Pierre Andrey – a blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir – that we find in 19th place. On the other hand, there are 6 lots of fine, dessert wines in the line-up, with second place going to the 2000 grand cru Schoenenbourg from Marcel Deiss and third place to the 1976 Riesling Sélection de Grains Nobles vendanges tardives from Domaine Hugel.

Top Alsace bottles
Rank Property Lot description Colour Price incl VAT Price per unit
1 Trimbach 1 Magnum Riesling Clos Sainte-Hune Trimbach 2008 Blanc 442 € 442 €
2 Zind-Humbrecht 1 Bouteille Riesling Grand Cru Rangen de Thann – Clos Saint Urbain Zind-Humbrecht 1993 Blanc 209 € 209 €
3 Hugel 2 Bouteille Riesling Sélection de Grains Nobles Hugel vendanges tardives 1976 Blanc Liquoreux 356 € 178 €
4 Marcel Deiss 1 Bouteille Riesling Sélection de Grains Nobles Grand Cru Schoenenbourg Marcel Deiss 1988 Blanc Liquoreux 123 € 123 €
5 Albert Mann 1 Magnum Gewurztraminer Altenbourg Vendanges Tardives Albert Mann 2009 Blanc Liquoreux 98 € 98 €
6 Weinbach 1 Bouteille Riesling Vendanges Tardives Weinbach Réserve Faller Freres 1981 Blanc Liquoreux 92 € 92 €
7 Albert Boxler 2 Bouteille Riesling Grand Cru Sommerberg Albert Boxler Cuvée E 2009 Blanc 161 € 80 €
8 Pierre Andrey 1 Bouteille Pinot noir Série 13 Gamay et Pinot Via Concordiae Pierre Andrey 2017 Rouge 74 € 74 €
9 Seppi-Landmann 1 Magnum Riesling Grand Cru Zinnkoepflé Seppi-Landmann 2001 Blanc 69 € 69 €
10 Marc Kreydenweiss 1 Magnum Alsace Kastelberg Marc Kreydenweiss 2003 Blanc 58 € 58 €
11 Ostertag 1 Bouteille Pinot Gris (Tokay) Grand Cru Muenchberg A360P Ostertag 2016 Blanc 54 € 54 €
12 Gérard Schueller 1 Magnum Gewurztraminer Cuvée particulière Gérard Schueller 2011 Blanc 53 € 53 €
13 Serge & Gérard Hartmann 1 Bouteille Pinot Gris (Tokay) Sélection de Grains Nobles Grand Cru Hatschbourg Serge & Gérard Hartmann 1996 Blanc Liquoreux 53 € 53 €
14 Kirchberg Klipfel 1 Bouteille Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives Clos Zisser Kirchberg Klipfel 1989 Blanc Liquoreux 49 € 49 €
15 Julien Meyer 1 Bouteille Alsace Grand Cru Riesling Muenchberg Julien Meyer 2010 Blanc 45 € 45 €
16 Mure 1 Bouteille Gewurztraminer Sélection de Grains Nobles Grand cru Vorbourg Clos Saint Landelin Domaine Mure 1983 Blanc Liquoreux 43 € 43 €
17 Josmeyer 1 Bouteille Riesling Grand Cru Hengst Josmeyer 2014 Blanc 43 € 43 €
18 Bott-Geyl 1 Bouteille Pinot Gris Grand Cru Sonnenglanz Vendanges Tardives Bott-Geyl 2010 Blanc Liquoreux 43 € 43 €
19 Kientzler 1 Bouteille Riesling Grand Cru Geisberg Kientzler 2009 Blanc 42 € 42 €
20 Domaine Burn 1 Bouteille Riesling Vendanges Tardives Grand Cru Goldert Clos St Imer Domaine Burn 1989 Blanc Liquoreux 38 € 38 €

Let’s have a look at the highest-priced individual bottles now. In 1st place for the first six months of 2020 is another Riesling Clos Sainte-Hune from Domaine Trimbach, this time in magnum format and in the 2008 vintage. Then in 2nd and 3rd place we have Domaine Zind-Humbrecht with a 1993 Riesling grand cru Clos Saint Urbain Rangen de Thann and Domaine Hugel’s 1976 Riesling selection de Grains Nobles vendanges tardives. The average unit price for the top trio here is €94, demonstrating once more how the best bottles from this region remain relatively within reach.

Here again, half of the top 20 is represented by biodynamic domains, confirming the progression of a strong trend. We should also note the presence of some mature vintages: 1988, 1976, 1996 and 1983 all count among the cream of the crop. A temptation for large formats is also clear, as magnum bottles take up a quarter of the places.

In terms of colours and grape varieties, Riesling represents 60% of the bottle list (compared to 70% of lots), including all the cuvées in the top 4. Gewurztraminer represents 20% of the highest-priced list, and makes an appearance in 5th place with a magnum of 2009 Altenbourg Vendanges Tardives from Albert Mann. The other varieties featured are Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Gamay. In the individual bottle ranking, the whites and the dessert wines are more balanced with 10 and 9 places respectively. There is just one red, again a 2017 Via Concordiae from Domaine Pierre Andrey, a recent domain with a tiny, natural production.

See all the Alsace cuvées on sale here