Catherine Riss
Alsace
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Catherine Riss
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Mittlebergheim
Alsace, France -
Certified Organic
Catherine comes from a hospitality background, her parents operating restaurants in Alsace since she was young. And whilst Catherine had a keen interest in food and wine, she didn’t want to venture into restaurants. She undertook viticulture and Oenology studies in Burgundy, interning with Jean Louis Trepat. Several years later, after extensive travel working in France and overseas, Catherine’s return to Alsace was with Chapoutier in 2009, who were establishing themselves in Reichsfeld.
In 2012 Catherine Riss purchased 1.3 hectares and began her own domaine. She was assisted by Antoine Kreydenweiss and Lucas Rieffel in the early years, with advice and encouragement, as well as the use of the Rieffel cellar in which to make her wines. In 2015 she established her own cellar in Bernardville and in 2023 moved into her new facility she had built.
All farming is done in organics, her original hectares certified in 2015. Catherine seeks diversity in the vineyard, cover crops are planted with the intent of taking nitrogen in to feed the soil. She now has 4 hectares, all located around the village of Reichsfeld, approximately 40 minutes south-west of Strasbourg.
Her vineyards are steep and sit high at the base of the Vosges mountain range, bordered by forest at 350-400 meters altitude. This micro-climate ensures freshness and acidity, the mountains protecting the vineyards and allowing slow ripening. Across 10 plots, the vineyards are within a few kilometres of each other, the majority on sandstone (gréseux) soils which are fast draining. She also has plots in Schififferberg Cru, the soil a crumbly blue schist, a rarity in Alsace.
Catherine belongs to the Association des Vins Libres d’Alsace which promotes local organic wines without inputs. All work is manual and in the cellar her German press provides a gentle pressing of the grapes. Èlevage is in old barriques on lees, the wines are unfined, without filtration and without sulfur unless a wine requires it.
Local artist Julien Kuntz designed the labels in collaboration with Catherine, with the intent of being a little cheeky.
The Wines
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Varietal Pinot Auxerrois / Sylvaner
Colour WhiteAn assemblage of Pinot Auxerrois and Sylvaner in equal portions off sandstone soils. Whole bunches are directly pressed, slowly over 6 hours. The juice is settled overnight before being racked into old barrels.
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Varietal Riesling
Colour WhiteRiesling from 45-year-old vines in gravelly sandstone soils (‘gréseux’ in French). Directly pressed, èlevaged in old barriques for 12 months.
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Varietal Pinot Noir
Colour RedThe only vineyard not in the valley and with a different soil profile. The 0.5 hectare of 48-year-old vines have clay rich soils with gravel and limoux on top. Partly de-stemmed and part whole bunches which were macerated for two weeks. Èlevaged for 9 months in old barrels.
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Varietal Pinot Noir
Colour RedPinot Noir planted on sandstone soils, whole bunch maceration for two weeks and èlevaged for 12 months in old barrels.
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Varietal Pinot Noir
Colour RedPinot noir planted in the lieu-dit Schieferberg, above the village of Reichsfeld, on soil composed of much pure slate. This is a rarity and a soil that produces structured reds with a view to cellaring. 15 days whole bunch maceration, 12–14 months èlevage in used Burgundy barrels.