Christian Binner, Bombisch Rose NV

60% Gewurztraminer, 30% Pinot Gris, 10% Riesling

Ammerschwihr, Alsace, France

Another true BOMB from Alsace! Old Vines planted across limestone hillsides around Alsace, farmed biodynamically or in conversion by Christian’s longtime friends, Laurent, Fabien, Raphael, and Pierre. Grapes are harvested by hand and carefully sorted in the vineyard. Natural fermentation, without the addition of yeast or chaptalization. Direct pressing for 12 hours in a pneumatic press. Direct transfer to barrels, without settling. Maceration for 6+ months. Light, non-sterilizing filtration, and aging in concrete tanks. VEGAN, NO ADDED SULFUR. 

In Alsace, there is a number of environmentally oriented producers who push the limits for what is technically possible. On of these is Audrey and Christian Binner in Ammerschwihr. Domaine Binner has been writing its family history since 1770 and today covers 11 hectares.

The estate has always benefited from soil cultivated without pesticides, as Christian's father, Joseph, quickly recognized the harmful effects of chemical fertilizers and pesticides upon their arrival in the 1960s. Since taking over the estate in 2000, Christian has gradually incorporated homeopathy, the lunar cycle, and permaculture. Now, approaching 50, he seeks to enrich the various ecosystems to increase their resilience . He aims to promote biodiversity, which has a direct impact on the quality of the yeasts naturally present on the grapes. This is achieved by integrating the vines with seedlings and wild plants, and by exploring the role of trees within this ecosystem. Since 2021, over 300 trees have been planted in collaboration with the Ballons des Vosges Regional Nature Park and Haie Vive d'Alsace. Trees provide water reserves, shade, and protection from the wind. 

Binner cultivates mainly on Grand Cru Kaefferkopf, a terroir that in some areas have a colluvial granitic top soil over a marly bedrock. Average vine age is 35-years, where 40% of the vines are over 60 years old, and with many rows nearing a 100 years of age. Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Grand Cru Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Auxerrois and Muscat make up the varieties utilized by this estimable domaine. The grapes are hand harvested very late for Alsace, early to mid-October, yielding fully ripened fruit that lends to dry wines with intense complexity of aromatics and flavors.

In addition, they strive to vinify as naturally as possible with zero sulphur addition, not even at bottling. To manage, one has to make a wine that is as biochemically stable as possible. At Binner, this is accomplished by fermenting as much as sugar as possible, allowing malolactic transformation and storing and bottling the wine under reducing conditions keeping some carbon dioxide in the wine at all stages.