Marc Kreydenweiss

History of Domaine Marc Kreydenweiss

The history of Domaine Marc Kreydenweiss is rooted in the medieval village of Andlau, where the family has worked the vines for thirteen generations, active since the 18th century as winegrowers and millers facing the abbey. In 1945, the marriage of Denise Gresser and René Kreydenweiss marked the takeover of the former Gresser estate and the adoption of the Kreydenweiss name. Their son Marc took over in 1971 and made a decisive break: he abandoned the pursuit of high yields and standardized varietal wines in search of the purest expression of each terroir.

A visionary, Marc Kreydenweiss became one of the very first winemakers in Alsace to practice biodynamics from the late 1980s. In 1989, he participated in the creation of the Grand Cru appellation and founded the Biodyvin association. In 1999, he took over an estate in the Costières de Nîmes, then settled there fully in 2007, entrusting the Alsatian property to his son Antoine. Today at the helm of the domaine, Antoine Kreydenweiss continues this legacy with uncompromising rigor, using animal traction (his Comtois horse Sam), extended aging on lees, and, since 2020, wines exclusively made from the estate's own grapes.

Terroirs and Vines of Domaine Marc Kreydenweiss

The vineyard of Domaine Marc Kreydenweiss unfolds a true geological mosaic, reflecting the Andlau valley, halfway between Strasbourg and Colmar. On hillsides sheltered from northerly and westerly winds, blue schists, pink Vosges sandstone, and calcareous marl stand side by side, offering each grape variety a singular setting. Three Grand Cru terroirs dominate: Kastelberg, with its base of Villé schists, among the oldest in Alsace (more than 500 million years), Wiebelsberg with its luminous pink sandstone, and Moenchberg with its sun-drenched calcareous marl.

Surrounding these crus are a number of characterful named plots such as Clos Rebberg, Clos Rebgarten, Clos du Val d'Éléon, Lerchenberg, and Kritt. Biodynamic farming, rooted in soil life, natural preparations, and respect for natural cycles, accompanies deliberately low yields. This diversity of exposures and altitudes allows for a faithful reading of the Alsatian landscape, where minerality and freshness always take precedence over varietal power.

Winemaking at Domaine Marc Kreydenweiss

In the cellar, the philosophy remains minimalist and respectful of the fruit. Manual harvesting is followed by slow pressing of whole clusters, then fermentations conducted solely by indigenous yeasts. The domaine practices extended aging on lees, from twelve to sometimes forty-eight months, in large oak barrels and demi-muids, stainless steel tanks, or concrete eggs, in order to gain depth and natural stability.

The use of sulfur is reduced to the strict minimum, with some cuvées even vinified without added sulfites and unfiltered. The Grand Cru Rieslings now undergo ambitious aging that can reach four years. This patient approach yields wines of rare vitality, taut, mouth-watering, and energetic, capable of long aging while remaining true to their origin.

The cuvées of Domaine Marc Kreydenweiss

Kastelberg Grand Cru (Riesling): the domaine's collector cuvée. On its blue and black schists, the Riesling develops a vertical energy, a stony salinity, and a smoky minerality unique in Alsace. A great wine for aging, to be waited for ten to twenty years.

Wiebelsberg Grand Cru (Riesling): born on pink Vosges sandstone, this Riesling reveals itself to be more airy, floral, and luminous, with crystalline finesse. Elegant and slender, it captivates with its purity of fruit and its delicacy.

Moenchberg Grand Cru (Pinot Gris): a terroir of calcareous marl par excellence, it yields a Pinot Gris with generous flesh and an imposing structure, supported by fine acidity and a saline, spiced finish that guarantees longevity.

Clos Rebberg (Riesling): an emblematic cuvée from the very ancient blue Villé schists. A concentrate of fruit and soil, at once smoky and fresh, it impresses with its mineral intensity and masterful balance.

Clos Rebgarten (Gewurztraminer): a small enclosure in Andlau worked by horse, replanted with Gewurztraminer on granitic sands. Vinified as an orange wine, it offers great complexity, marked by peony, tobacco, and spices.

Clos du Val d'Éléon (Riesling and Pinot Gris): a co-planting of the two grape varieties on blue-grey Villé schists, aged at length on lees in large oak barrels. Iodized, upright, and taut, it is a wine of character with great savoriness.

KB Kirchberg de Barr (Pinot Noir): from a terroir classified Grand Cru for Pinot Noir in 2022, this complex and deep red wine stands out for its silky texture, elegance, and finesse of tannins.

Au Dessus de la Loi (Riesling): a confidential cuvée born from a micro-plot of pink sandstone suspended above Andlau. Crystalline and taut, it expresses with finesse the tension of Vosges sandstone.

Lerchenberg (Pinot Gris): a pure and thoroughbred Pinot Gris, far from opulent profiles, at once dense and fresh, whose spiced flavors complement characterful dishes.

La Fontaine aux Enfants (Pinot Blanc and Auxerrois): on granite soil, this energetic wine seduces with its floral density, natural brightness, and smoky notes, after a long aging process.

Kritt Pinot Blanc: a Pinot Blanc of rare complexity, between fine herbs, white flowers, and delicate spices, endowed with remarkable explosiveness and density on the palate.

Kritt Gewurztraminer: a Gewurztraminer with an off-dry profile, driven more by the soil than by varietal expression, combining aromatic intensity, relief, and incisive freshness.

Lune à Boire: a range of pleasure wines, in white and red, made from blends of Alsatian grape varieties, lush and crunchy, designed for convivial tasting.

Depending on the vintage, the domaine also produces Vendanges Tardives and Sélections de Grains Nobles, exceptional sweet wines that crown the aromatic richness of the Andlau terroirs.