Alsace (multiple estates & villages), France
Wines by Christian Binner & Stéphane, Jean-Luc, Julien, Eric, Hubert & Christian, René, Olivier, Raphaël, Jean-Marc and Claude.
Varietals and key wines include; BRUTAL, ‘Grand Cru Kaefferkopf’, Gewurtraminer, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sylvaner, Pinot Noir, Auxerrois, Muscat Blanc
Drawing on over 20 years of experience, iconic Alsatian winemaker Christian Binner (Domaine Binner) spotted an opportunity for his neighbouring organic and biodynamic wine growers. Rather than selling their grapes to big co-ops, they could make their own branded wine. He encouraged them to make unfussy soulful terroir wines made in the vineyard and the cellar.
Christian shared his knowledge of minimal intervention and natural winemaking with local growers to cultivate a group of like-minded vignerons and ‘Les Vin Pirouettes’ was born.
Each wine reflects the history and character of its winemaker and vineyard. Together there are 14 growers making anything from Glou Glou to CRU wines. The grower’s names are displayed on each bottle along with the method and style.
From the far eastern corner of France, that extends towards the German border and Sheltered by the Vosges range protecting it from the west, Alsace is generally dry and sunny, and blessed with a patchwork of soils and subsoils ranging from granite to limestone and volcanic plots.
Made with a very ‘hands off’ approach these wines are appropriately named as they are beautiful, complex, original and elegant but made in extremely unique ways. Ranging from 8 to 18 days on skin and 8 to 24 months on lees, sometimes in 100 year old alsatian foudre and always unfiltered and unfined with zero sulfur.
