Christophe Mittnacht Pinot Gris, Alsace, France 2023
Pickup available at DECANT Napa - 2999 Solano, Napa, CA
Usually ready in 1 hour
Founded in 1958 by grandfather Paul Mittnacht, this family estate represents three generations of winemaking tradition in Hunawihr. In 1963, Paul's sons André and Louis formally established Domaine Mittnacht Frères, which their sons—cousins Christophe and Marc—took over in 1995. The cousins became early pioneers of biodynamic viticulture in Alsace, achieving Demeter certification in 1999—one of the first estates in the region to do so. In 2019, Christophe established his independent operation, Domaine Christophe Mittnacht - Terres d'Étoiles, building a new winery and continuing the family's commitment to terroir-driven wines. Christophe and his wife Yuka, a talented Japanese chef who runs a gîte and offers sushi workshops, farm 11 hectares of prime vineyard land around Hunawihr, including parcels in the prestigious Grand Cru Rosacker (home to the legendary Clos Sainte-Hune), Grand Cru Osterberg, and Grand Cru Mandelberg. Their wines are celebrated for their gastronomic focus, purity, sharp acidity, and mineral precision.
- WINEMAKER: Christophe Mittnacht
- FARMING: Demeter certified biodynamic since 1999. No synthetic products, complete respect for the vine's natural cycle and terroir, manual harvesting and sorting, minimal intervention in the cellar, no oenological products (aside from minimal sulfur additions). Focus on biologically complex soils for elegant, terroir-driven wines.
- VARIETY: 100% Pinot Gris
- TERROIR: Vineyards located in Hunawihr, situated between the renowned villages of Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr. The subsoil consists of Muschelkalk—ancient shell limestone dating back 235-245 million years to the German Triassic geological period—more or less dolomitized. Above this lies a layer of marl limestone and clay approximately 1.5 meters deep. The 30+ year-old vines are planted at 260-330 meters elevation on east and southeast-facing slopes. Hunawihr's proximity to the Vosges Mountains creates a distinctive microclimate that is cooler and drier than neighboring vineyards, resulting in late-ripening conditions that allow for slow, healthy maturation while preserving high natural acidity and aromatic purity. The limestone composition produces wines with characteristic minerality and a subtle smoky quality that intensifies with age.
- VINIFICATION: Manual harvest with rigorous sorting. Whole-cluster pressing of grapes. Indigenous yeast fermentation.
- AGING: Fermented and aged in older oak barrels (foudres) for 10 months on fine lees. Unfined, lightly filtered.
- TASTING NOTES: Pale straw yellow with golden reflections. The nose is refined and complex, revealing fresh orchard fruit aromas of mirabelle plum, pear, and quince, complemented by toasted hazelnut and subtle smoky notes. The attack is precise and elegant. The structure is silky and lifted by fresh, vibrant acidity. This Pinot Gris presents nearly dry on the palate (approximately 1-2 g/l residual sugar), with the orchard fruit flavors persisting—quince, apple, pear—balanced by chalky minerality and a long, mineral-driven finish.
- FOOD PAIRINGS: Sushi and sashimi, grilled white fish, roasted pork tenderloin, poultry in cream sauce, Asian cuisine, aged Comté or Gruyère, mushroom risotto, soft goat cheeses, seafood paella.
- SCORES: Jancis Robinson 90 points (2023 vintage)
Christophe Mittnacht Pinot Gris, Alsace, France 2023
Founded in 1958 by grandfather Paul Mittnacht, this family estate represents three generations of winemaking tradition in Hunawihr. In 1963, Paul's sons André and Louis formally established Domaine Mittnacht Frères, which their sons—cousins Christophe and Marc—took over in 1995. The cousins became early pioneers of biodynamic viticulture in Alsace, achieving Demeter certification in 1999—one of the first estates in the region to do so. In 2019, Christophe established his independent operation, Domaine Christophe Mittnacht - Terres d'Étoiles, building a new winery and continuing the family's commitment to terroir-driven wines. Christophe and his wife Yuka, a talented Japanese chef who runs a gîte and offers sushi workshops, farm 11 hectares of prime vineyard land around Hunawihr, including parcels in the prestigious Grand Cru Rosacker (home to the legendary Clos Sainte-Hune), Grand Cru Osterberg, and Grand Cru Mandelberg. Their wines are celebrated for their gastronomic focus, purity, sharp acidity, and mineral precision.
- WINEMAKER: Christophe Mittnacht
- FARMING: Demeter certified biodynamic since 1999. No synthetic products, complete respect for the vine's natural cycle and terroir, manual harvesting and sorting, minimal intervention in the cellar, no oenological products (aside from minimal sulfur additions). Focus on biologically complex soils for elegant, terroir-driven wines.
- VARIETY: 100% Pinot Gris
- TERROIR: Vineyards located in Hunawihr, situated between the renowned villages of Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr. The subsoil consists of Muschelkalk—ancient shell limestone dating back 235-245 million years to the German Triassic geological period—more or less dolomitized. Above this lies a layer of marl limestone and clay approximately 1.5 meters deep. The 30+ year-old vines are planted at 260-330 meters elevation on east and southeast-facing slopes. Hunawihr's proximity to the Vosges Mountains creates a distinctive microclimate that is cooler and drier than neighboring vineyards, resulting in late-ripening conditions that allow for slow, healthy maturation while preserving high natural acidity and aromatic purity. The limestone composition produces wines with characteristic minerality and a subtle smoky quality that intensifies with age.
- VINIFICATION: Manual harvest with rigorous sorting. Whole-cluster pressing of grapes. Indigenous yeast fermentation.
- AGING: Fermented and aged in older oak barrels (foudres) for 10 months on fine lees. Unfined, lightly filtered.
- TASTING NOTES: Pale straw yellow with golden reflections. The nose is refined and complex, revealing fresh orchard fruit aromas of mirabelle plum, pear, and quince, complemented by toasted hazelnut and subtle smoky notes. The attack is precise and elegant. The structure is silky and lifted by fresh, vibrant acidity. This Pinot Gris presents nearly dry on the palate (approximately 1-2 g/l residual sugar), with the orchard fruit flavors persisting—quince, apple, pear—balanced by chalky minerality and a long, mineral-driven finish.
- FOOD PAIRINGS: Sushi and sashimi, grilled white fish, roasted pork tenderloin, poultry in cream sauce, Asian cuisine, aged Comté or Gruyère, mushroom risotto, soft goat cheeses, seafood paella.
- SCORES: Jancis Robinson 90 points (2023 vintage)