Cuvée Justin 2019 | Pinot Gris | Domaine Maurice Schoech

The Schoechs have been in the vineyards of Ammerschwihr since 1650, but the domaine as it exists today is recent: it was set up in 1971 on the edge of the village. That is more than three centuries of growing grapes before bottling under their own name. The house keeps Maurice's name and is run by his sons, Jean-Léon and Sébastien.

The vineyard is spread across several grand crus of the area —Kaefferkopf, Schlossberg, Furstentum and Mambourg— and they also hold a small parcel in the Rangen, the volcanic grand cru of Thann. That spread gives an uncommon mix of soils: limestone-marl predominates, but there is granite, sandstone and the volcanic rock of the Rangen, with vines between ten and fifty years old.

They farmed organically long before certifying; the Ecocert seal came in 2014, with some biodynamic practices. In the cellar, spontaneous fermentations —except for the Côtes d'Ammerschwihr and the Pinot Auxerrois— and everything in stainless steel.