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Winemaker: Jean-Paul Schmitt
ORGANIC WINERY
The best vineyards of the Alsace, as with all world-class wine regions, are those where the marriage of vine and terroir is harmonious. Such is the case of “Rittersberg,” essentially a monopole of the Schmitt family in Scherwiller, a small village in the Bas-Rhin region of Alsace.
“Rittersberg” is a 20-acre vineyard that runs like a waterfall from the steep, stony peaks of this “knight’s mountain” to the valley floor. This sweeping, contiguous vineyard is made even more picturesque with the medieval ruins of the Ortenbourg castle, a 13th century keep that sits at the summit of the mountain.
The beauty of "Rittersberg" is a priceless combination of weather, soil and vine. Perfectly exposed to the southeast, "Rittersberg’s" climate is hot and dry, allowing the estate to pursue organic viticulture with confidence. Soils are stony, poor and acidic—which helps to keep yields low while at the same time contribute great definition and cut to the estate’s brisk, dry Riesling.
Winemaker Jean-Paul Schmitt is a young, talented artisan who is completely dedicated to natural winemaking. In 2005 the estate started its conversion to organic viticulture; as of the 2009 vintage, wines are certified by Ecocert, the European organic standards body. Only organic treatments are used in the fields; all grapes are harvested by hand; and wine is fermented with naturally occurring yeasts.