The birth of wine begins in the vineyard, respecting nature.
TO do so, various basic principals are put in place by La Maison ZEYSSOLFF
Judicious choice of grape varietals in accordance with the area and quality of the soil.
Each one has specific qualities, the expression of which can vary depending on the terroir (climate and soil) and the cultivation technique adopted. In Scherwiller to the South (granitic terroir), for example, we prioritise the production of 2 grape varietals : the Riesling, because it is an excellent representative of the terroir, and the Pinot Noir for its resistance to heat.
All our new plantations over the last 20 years have been made with plants which have been phenotypically selected to promote biodiversity, genetic diversity and the heritage of plants.
The specific requirements of grape varietals is reflective of their need for warmth and water, which will determine the timing of their maturity. We are focusing our efforts increasingly on the changing climate. In the coming years, we are considering more Mediterranean grape varietals, resistant to drought and heat. Even if this sadly means leaving the AOC!
deliberate limitation of yields
As soon as the vine is pruned in winter, we prioritise the harmony of each grape varietal as well as the expression of the terroir. We also produce harvests “en vert” (the process of delegating the vine from green clusters to facilitate the maturation of the remaining clusters in order to reduce the yield of a harvest). The wine will therefore be more concentrated and the yields will be reduced. It is a personal choice to prioritise quality over quantity. This limitation will be even more pronounced for Cuvées Z and Grands Crus.
Conversion to organic viticulture
Phytosanitary control is done using only natural methods and products approved by organic controls. Treatments are spaced out as much as possible.
We have completely redesigned our crop monitoring: tillage, seeding and the use of herbal teas and plant decoctions are used to enhance the vine’s immunity and help it fight diseases naturally.
Work in the cellar is carried out without chemical input and the use of sulphur is limited during bottling.
Manual grape harvests
All our grapes are hand-picked by a team of twenty seasonal workers, supported by our permanent team. The grapes are rigorously sorted as soon as the harvest begins. The chosen grapes are then transported in boxes of 25kgs to the cellar as quickly as possible.
A second careful sorting of the grapes is repeated upon arrival at the press.
Vinification and ageing of wines
The first vinification stage consists of pressing the grapes.
Pressing is always done pneumatically so as to avoid spoilage and oxidation of the grapes. A pressing cycle lasts between three and a half and sixteen hours for the “Sélections des Grains Nobles”. The juices descend by gravity into our cellar, located below our press.
The juices are then cooled to 12°C to facilitate static settling (deposits of suspended material at the bottom of the tank).
The second stage is the alcoholic fermentation of the wines, under thermal regulation
The clarified must is housed in oak barrels to ferment. Numerous daily density and temperature controls are carried out to monitor the evolution of fermentation. When the wine has reached its sugar/acidity/alcohol balance, it is extracted with its fine lees. It is then cooled and stabilized.
We do not carry out any malolactic fermentation on our white wines, only on our Pinot Noirs.
The third stage, the most meticulous stage, is the breeding on lees
The last stage is the bottling of the wines in our wine cellar after sterile filtration.
It runs from spring till late August for barrel farms. The bottles are then stored for at least 3-6 months before being sold. This gives the wine the opportunity to age and to refine itself.
The originals
La Maison ZEYSSOLFF has a history of winemaking knowledge passing down through 11 generations. We want to make our wines in the manner that our ancestors worked, demonstrating the exquisite grape varietal and the inimitable terroir.
However, today we want to go beyond our comfort zone and off the track, beaten by so many previous generations!
In the last few years, we have been making “original” wines, each bearing its own history:
- Pet’nat Muscat
- Pinot Gris “rose”
- “l’œuf ou la poule”
- Fleur d’Alsace
- Gewuztraminer Macération (Orange wine)
- Pinot Gris Cuvée Z raised and matured in barrels
- Pinot Noir Cuvée Z raised and matured in barrels
- and the last one… our wines which have been vinified and raised in sandstone amphoras.
Accolades and Awards
We have received various awards for our wine tourism work
Since the Alsace Tourism trophy award in 2021, we have just been the fortunate recipients of the wine tourism 2022 trophy – a national prize !!! Catering category – outstanding offer
What an honour After over 15 years of work, during which we have never counted our hours…