The lokal press DNA published a large information about this "open wine estate day" on june 1st 2009 and about the huge dessert table made by the children of 7e class of Waldorf School Mathias Grünewald at Logelbach. A selection of first pictures are published here in this  Diaporama and soon you will see more. Take time to discover the pictures of this photographer  Marc Heimermann and also his latest book about dégustations sprirituelles, wine tastings with saints

By bicycle, foot, car or oldtimer bus your came from Oxford, United States, Singapur, Hong Kong, China, Germany, Bretagne and Normandie, to discover our wine tastings and wine tour offers called St Odile, St Urbain, St Martin, St Morand !! and also all of you coming to our open house day 1st of june (pictures will come soon). One of the visitors liked very much mami's garden and he is still here....

If you stay in Alsace june 1st or plan to travel through our region, make a stop at a little village of the wine route and enjoy organic things to drink, eat, discover vineyards and surroundings. There is something to do for everybody and you will enjoy to discuss with locals about organic farming and living. Klur Winestate in Katzenthal june 1st from 10 am to 7 pm. We are located 6 km from Colmar the heart of Alsace region. How to find us. Full programm on next page 

Enjoy the fine organic receipes prepared by Christine Spohn, who created an organic party service at Strasbourg some years ago; it is on friday 5th june 2009 at Vignoble KLUR in Katzenthal and beneficts will help some schools in Senegal to forward their development (association AKA).. This event takes places in french Printemps Bio 2009 read more about the programm and try to come...

29 avril 2009, it is springtime and everything awakes  ! this special and rare vineyards tulips bring a lot of sunshine actually. It is a period of soil work and for the biodynamic preparation called 500. Yesterday was perfect because the rain of the night opened the soils after 10 days of very hot and dry weather. At 6 pm everything was ready except this home made engin used to spray the preparation on the vineyards soils, Clément had to repare quick before spreeding out until the night. During the day we prepared the embotteling of next week and had to clean the tuns. As pinot gris Klur and riesling grand cru Wineck Schlossberg are still in fermentation, the wines for the Voyou de Katz and Gentil de Katz 2008 are ready. Today 2 delegations of the national organisation Vignerons Independants visited us. 50 wine growers from other regions in France interested by organic growing, architecture, and wine tourism. This is  the wine growers life...always jumping from one work to the other !

After this long winter time, the first flowers came out this week...we just finished cuting the vines (its called pruning) because we started late january to respect the rythm of the plant. Actually we start to attach the vine shoots, this a women work, man repar the system of trellising (but organisation may also be different). Everything is still asleap outside but there is some activity in the wine cellar: some of our 2008 wines didn't finish their fermentation. Perhaps they also feel the growing up of the sap in the vine stocks outside.... Last 2 months we didn't have a lot of opportunities to respect the moon rythms because we had to share our outside work between the rain periods and snow storms, a real wintertime !! normally it is better to prun young vinestock at downward and weaker ones at rising moon but it is not always possible.  Either we didn't spread the bio dynamic preparations for the soil because it was to weat and the tractor would have pack the ground of the vineyards and this is not good for the life in the soil in spring. We will do it this month and tell you about it.  Maria Thun's calender of sowings remembers us that "if the meadows are covered with snow in march, the harvest will be good", so everything is perfect, just be patient.... 

It happened !! all our bedrooms are now full organic. You perhaps know our coton beddings and german wheat or millet pillows, now we changed all the matresses for natural products and you may choose between 100% latex, or latex and coco or latex and straw. We keep some traditional ones to combine with over matresses in organic coton or wool. All our beds are made from wood without sticks or mettalic parts, no treatment at all.  We bought these different types at  Ardelaine, Sanadorm, Allnatura, Loewe. We clean the bedings with Sonett products. If you want to try it you are welcome. Come back a few times because every bedroom equipement is different....Why do you sleep better in natural beds ? read more about it in the following page 

                                  
It is still very difficult to translate tasting notes...this one is from the september 08 issue of the wellknown Revue des vins de France and  gave a note of 16 (great wines are noted 15,5 to 17) to the riesling Grand Cru Wineck Schlossberg 2004 and a compliment to big potentiel of the wine estate of Katzenthal". Now in french: "Issu d'un terroir granitique, ce riesling droit, offre une grande tension et une pureté cristalline, la matière est profilée, ciselée et enthousiasme par sa grande précision de saveurs. L'acidité et les notes d'agrumes ne feront pas peur à un poisson de mer aux épices. Ce domaine de Katzenthal en biodynamie possède un grand potentiel. Note 16" (Echelle de notation: 15,5 à 17: grand vin) Revue des Vins de France, septembre 2008. Nos dégustateurs ont aimés.

                                
German leading wine magazine tasted 60 pinots from wine growers of Alsace wine region (pinot blanc, pinot gris, pinot noir). Selection of 17 wines and there are 2 Klur wines ! our pinot blanc and pinot noir. Pinot blanc 2007 "very fruity, light botritis, very mineral and crispy wine. Good structure. A typical pinot blanc with a very interesting "matière", 85 points. Pinot noir 2006, "red fruit aromes, nice and elegant taste, very fine and very good structure, 83 points.

Just one week before Thanksgiving we harvested the last grappes of this vintage. After the stop of last week with sunshine and cold nights we picked the riesling and gewurztraminer from monday october 20th to thursday (stop on wednesday because of the showers). Early this monday morning Eric climbed up to the Grand Cru Wineck Schlossberg hill (first picture left), exposed south-south-east. The long maturation period of these grappes gave probably an interesting complexity to the aromes, we will tell you more in a few weeks. Riesling Grand Cru 13,5 degrees, Riesling Klur (from old vines) 13 degrees, Gewurztraminer from Hinterburg and Heiligbrunn at least 15 degrees. The team is smilling on this very last picture because they are all very tired, so do Clément bringing back the last grappes on thursday evening. Elisa tries to drive the Fennwick to bring the grappes up to the press, not easy ... in a forgotten seal in the garden we found a curious visitor, beautifull and very rare salamander, we brought it back to the grass very quick.  The "Herbschtbrot" is the traditionnal party for the evening when grappe picking ends and this year Fusila cooked a morrocan couscous for us ! something different that choucroute and an opening to another culture. Petit Pierre liked it very much and also the big bottle of wine....finally some morrocan musique and dances finished this hard period

Philippe Sergent Chef of the restaurant Vin dans les Voiles (rue Chapu, 16e) chooses a few wines of Clément Klur for the "semaine du goût", actually runing in France. It is a good adress for your next trip to Paris and famous guides and newspapers like GaultMillau, Pudlo, Figaroscope,  guide Jean Luc Petitrenaud, Zurban... noticed it. Winner of the 2007 award Prix de la Presse du Vin 2007, category "bistrots à vins" and noted in the Palmares of the best parisian bistrots  Petit Lebey des Bistrots parisiens 2007. Take a look at these "plats alléchants" served this week with Voyou de Katz from Clément Klur with the starters, Pinot Noir with "velouté de potiron", Gentil with "fondant du porc", Riesling Klur with "dos de saumon" and finally a "tarte feuillettée aux pommes, glace caramel au beurre salé" (with the Crémant de Clément !! This is the phone number you have to take with you to Paris :  01 46 47 83 98

Pinot gris and riesling Klur for the begining of this week with a large team for a few days. Nice grappes with good alcool levels: 13 for the riesling and 15 for the pinot gris, for the specialists this means 92 and 105 oechslés. Two former wine pickers from Michigan came back after 25 years. Lynn and Jacques met at Klur winestate, get maried, had beautifull children, and love Alsace wines !! 

Sun and a only a few clouds help the grappes to maturity. This week we wait before picking pinot gris, sylvaner and the other varieties. In the tuns the juices of last week began the fermentation: only the crémant juice (on the left) is a little sparkling, the others are still quiet. We don't use external yiest so we have to be patient.
 

 Antwerpen Gazet published a very complete report about organic Alsace (green region Alsace) and gave a few adresses to organise your stay to the best. They selected Jardins de Gaia (an organic tea importer and tea house near Selestat) and Vignoble Klur for its wines and holidays offers. "BIOWIJNBOUW: De Elzas is een van de regio's in Frankrijk met de meeste aandacht voor bioproducten. Wij bezochten de wijngaard van de familie Klur in Katzenthal die zelfs nog een stapje verdergaat (....) De familie stelt haar wijngaard open om een kijkje te komen naar de manier van werken en om de wijnen te proeven. Voor wie dat wil combineren met een verblijf in de streek heeft de familie volledig met biomateriaal gerenoveerde gastenkamers ter beschikking." We will explain you all these details as soon as you visit our winery.  

The Radu family from Bucharest came to Katzenthal in July to try the amazing sauerkraut that we  promised to prepare 2 years ago as we visited Romania.  Choucroute Formidable and everything that goes with it of course ! We are lucky to export to this interesting country we discoverd  in 2006. The melancholic sounds of Ionna Radu and some brandies helped every body  to digest the meal.  It was a festive afternoon  !! Hope to see you back soon.

Look at this ! the first juice of this vintage coming out of the wine press ! we started the Crémant harvest september 22nd with the grappe varieties Pinot Blanc and Pinot Auxerrois. A wonderfull week with cold nights, perfect to concentrat the aroms in the berries and sunny days. Some of these vinestocks get injured by the hail storm in july 2007 but are well know even if the yield is lower than 2006. In anoter vineyard we had a beginning of rot on the grappes (a lot of rain this summer) but  we sorted the grappes in the vines and the result is well. The 2008 team is very attentive "and works well" say Clément. "11 degrees for the Crémant juice is perfect". If the weather remains stable we will wait until 5 or 6 oktober to continue with the other grappe varieties. The story will continue later.....

He knows that a picture of him might be in this special wine issue after the riesling wine tasting this summer but he nether thought to be on front page !! Clément was very surprised in the newspaper shop  in Colmar last week as he saw 10 times his picture on the desk !!! A few days later, in Paris for a wine tasting....KLUR every where !! in the Metro stations, Champs Elysées, Gare de l'Est...big posters this time !! For Elisa it was too much at the end of the afternoon: "Look at Papa once's more, stop !!!!"               

We will be present at following wine fairs 

Millésime Bio à Montpellier 26/27/28 janvier 2009, professionnal wine fair only for organic wines from France, Spain and Italy.

Biofach à Nüremberg, 19/20/21/22 février 2009, we will not be exposants but will travel to Nuremberg for one day, we will inform you later about details. You may also contact us This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Expression Bio in Bordeaux during Vinexpo professional wine fair in june 2009

Vallée de Munster and "Cats valley" (Katzenthal) Alsace in the east part of France invites you to discover his ecological and organic producers and holidays offers. This is the choice of the leading newspaper of Luxembourg this automn. Stay at Vignoble Klur, taste their organic and biodynamic wines, organise a hikking day on the  Petit Ballon mountain, have lunch at a typicall ferme auberge like Christlesgut, discover the munster at the Lameysberg farm in  Breitenbach....a lot of good adresses. From Katzenthal you may have a bicycle ride to the train station of Turkheim, then travel to Munster by  train TER. Also from Luxembourg you will have 4 connexions a day to Colmar (only 10 minutes to Katzenthal by taxi) 

"Clément Klur makes gentil-de-katz, very aromatic and easy drinking white alsatian wine, blended as the alsatian tradition propose it: pinot gris, pinot blanc and gewurztraminer. He invented also a voyou-de-katz, a dry and fruity wine made with riesling, sylvaner and muscat. Following notes in french because it is difficult for us to translate.... your suggestions are welcome: "Conquis par ses arômes croquants de fruits blancs,  ses notes florales et sa finale citronnée délicieusement rafraîchissante, on prend exceptionnellement le parti des voyous! Note 15/20." Written by Catherine Gerbod in  the Spécial Wine of de Cuisine et Vins de France: Alsace the culture of the différences. Grappe varieties, blends, villages wines, grands crus....a very dynamic way to make wine and nice way for you to discover plenty of emotions. More in the sept issue of Cuisine et Vins de France

Marion Lehane speaks about some trips to french wine region in the sept issue of the magazine Modes et Travaux. Pays saumurois, Beaujolais, Corbières and Alsace !! at wine estate Klur for sure. "Located 8 km from Colmar, nice gîtes for 2 to 5 people but also a large holiday house located in Riquewihr up to 18 people. Organic and biodynamic wine estate to visit. www.klur.net"

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A group of ten wine lovers from Varberg Sweden came to Alsace and Katzenthal end of August. A photo taken "from the air" ??? we are waiting for your picture....

"CLEMENT KLUR (Katzenthal)
     I put Klur in my top category as well--but not for power and concentration. Instead, this is one of the most exciting wineries I found in Alsace for light, crisp, acidic, racy wines, mostly bone-dry. And it's biodynamic! Bravo! These are the kinds of gorgeous wines I could find reasons to open every day!
     The first wine that grabbed me here was the Cremant d'Alsace....without question the greatest sparkling wine I tasted on this trip, and one of the best Champagne ringers I've ever tasted! I loved the older flavors in it....and especially noticed how light, crisp, and tinglingly acidic it was.
     Then, he got me with a Muscat.....the 2005 Katz Muscat, one of the lightest, most delicate, most acid-etched Muscats I've ever tasted. Dry and evanescent. Could almost go with raw shellfish!
     Of course, the best of all was on its way.....Klur's touch with Riesling, both proprietary and Grand Cru. I loved both the 2005 and 2006 Katz Riesling--bone-dry, clean, pure, lime-y character, stunning acidity. Definitely shellfish wine! I even loved the somewhat fatter 2004 Riesling Grand Cru Wineck Schlossberg: nicely developed citrus and pineapple flavors, lovely complexity, great acid and elegance, almost bone-dry. Doesn't have the power of Clos Ste. Hune, or a Lorentz Grand Cru Riesling.....but this Grand Cru is an essay in finesse".

David Rosengarten, is one of the world's formost authorities on food, wine and cooking. He is also a travel writer, cookbook author and TV journalist beloved by millions of fans the world over (Food Network, NBC's Today show, New York Times, Food&WIne etc). The Rosengarten Report is a newsletter covering the most exciting, undisocvered food products, wines and travel destinations in the world. James Beard Award for the best food and wine newsletter 2003.

Since not too long ago, the murmur of water rhythmically undulates from a vasque vive to make your moments of relaxation even more enjoyable in our interior courtyard. Imagine coming back after a day of busy visits with your children, in parks, towns, castles and villages, to the calm and melodious music to try one of our wines amongst the plants.
The water that circulates in the vasques vives is revitalising and rhythmic.  It is dynamised like our organic preparations for the vignes, by oxygenation that supports natural exchanges, harmonises and stimulates plant growth (plants irrigated with this water grow very well).
Created by Michael Monziès, these vasques have stemmed from the works of Wilkes and Theodore Schwenk to express the rythmique potential of water by its content.

 A magical night in mid-June for a small group of privileged persons who after a small tour of the cellar discovered the buffet of wild plants organized by Gérard Verret from the "Jardin Gourmand": butter of wild thyme, flowers of wild leek, chutney of poppies, crackers of nettles, tofu of melilot....and all of this to go with the Voyou de Katz !! To follow, hummus with garlic, tapenade with three algeas, confit of red carrots lacto-fermented served with the Gentil de Katz !! but that's not all, salmon and tart without dough, fresh munster cheese, compote of apples and cristallized flowers ...to go perfectly with the pinot gris, the riesling Wineck Schlossberg, and the gewurztraminer Klur....it was easy to convert the most hard-core carnivores with these savoury plants !

  The interior decorations of our houses and vacation apartments (walls, floors, etc.) were all done with natural paints.  These paints are made from components of plants and minerals and do not release toxic substances, minimizing their impact on human health and the environment.  All the ingredients are clearlmy marked on the packaging.  No matter what the color or the ingredients (oil, clay, or water based), tinted or not, the smell so delicious that you almost want to eat them!!  Here are some brands that you can take a look at Nature et Harmonie, Biofa, Auro.

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Définitions :
Définition légale : « agriculture n’utilisant pas de produits chimique de synthèse, dite agriculture biologique ». Définition agronomique : « Agriculture basée sur la gestion rationnelle de la fraction vivante du sol, dans le respect des cycles biologiques et de l’environnement pour une production de qualité, équilibrée, plus autonome, plus économe et non polluante. »

Objectifs : Ecologiques :
-préserver les équilibres naturels du sol et des plantes
-favorise le recyclage 

Firstly: to make an «organic» wine you need organic grapes! To make a « wine from organic grapes», organic winemakers pledge to manage their vineyard by organic rules.  They confrom to a European regulation, that respects the territory and environment.  All of the vineyards are inspected each year, by certified organisations, recognized by the Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of the economy.
What about the wine-making?  Organic vineyards have developed folders with techniques used to guarantee an "organic" elaboration of wine (Charter of the national federation of interprofessionals of organic wine and agriculture", different rules…)  The respect of these rules is verified by independant organisms that control organic grapes.  They guarantee: anoverall organic appproach, from planting to the bottle, the total absence of GMOs, the minimal utilisation of additives, restricted a very short list.
What about your health in all of this? The Association for Therapeutic Anti-cancer Research reminds us that « it is scientifially proven that "organic" food is more rich in antioxydants and vitamins than traditional alimentation. »

The peparation 500 or "bouse de corne" occupies an important place in biodynamic agriculture because it pertains to the soil and the roots of the plants. It is obtained by fermenation in the soil during the winter of cow dung introduced into cow horns by particular procedures.  The corns are pulled out of the soil and the dung must be humid, thin, supple, and without odor in order to be used. It is conserved in a ceramic recipient sheltered from the sun, in a trunk of wood, for example.  This is preparation is used at least twice a year, in the spring and fall, a bt before the biological activity in the soil becomes more active. The preparation is pulverised in the evening after being touched up.
This preparation favors microb activity in the soil, the formation of humus and ameliorates the absorption and the retention of water in the soil which regulates the pH (increases it in acidic soils and lowers it in basic soils). It stimulates the germination of grains, the growth of root systems, and helps the dissolution of minerals in the soils.

Above all we use a mix of copper and sulfer based products to minimize the necessary dose. The nettle mixture is a stimulant of vegetative growth. It is also resistant to mildew and helps control anthropods. The best time to harvest it is at the beginnng of its flowering, but we always have nettles on reserve, used regularly. It gives us fresh nettles during the whole season. 1 kg of fresh nettles for 5 liters of water, boil and leave to infuse for 10 to 20 minutes, dilute until you have 40 liters of product to pulverise per hectare.

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Pour une première, une deuxième, une troisième lune de miel....peut importe vous trouverez un vrai nid d'amour dans cette maisonnette nichée dans les remparts du 13e siècle dans l'un des plus beaux villages de France, Riquewihr. Vous serez installés sur trois niveaux, avec une terrasse coté sud, une salle de bain avec baignoire à l'ancienne et à deux places ! Elle a été réhabilitée et est entretenue avec des produits bio (planchers cirés, crépis à la chaux, badigeons).

It is time for the apéritif CHEZ MARIE, sit down next to the pond and relax. Only the fish, birds, and frogs can make noise ...or be the alarm. The house is centrally located near the "Plateau de 1000 Etangs" (plateau of 1000 lakes) and the Southern Vosges.
As a Panda Gîte, the house has been completely renovated with eco-friendly materials, water comes from a natural source, the air is clean, and the environment is preserved. Real green vacations...

Preparations of 500 and 501 are diluted in water and stirred with alot of energy for 1 hour before bieng pulverised. The bewing may be done in a copper, wood, or enamel recipient that is large permitting a good vortex. We use copper with palpeur of an Australian type, as well as rain water that has been collected. will stirring, the water will form a deep vortex, changing directions equals chaos.

Small quantities are used for the mixture: 100 grams de bouse de corne in 30 litres of water can be used in 1 hectare, and 2 to 4 grams de silice de corne per hectare in 30 litres of water.  Pulverisation must be done as soon as the brewing is finished, at high pressure (like fog) for the silice and at low pressure for the bouse de corne (medium sized drops).

Bio, biodynamics, resaonable cultivation, natural wine ....a plethora of terms exist that do not necessarily designate the same thing. Reasonable culitvation's goal is to minimize interventions in vineyards, by reducing the dose of products used, it should be the minimumu standard of all agrticultural activity (wine or cereale as well as leasure gardeners). Organic agriculture goes further and prohibits synthetic chemical products. It seeks first and foremost, to preserve the planet's natural balances. You cannot simply inject nutrients into the earth and expect it to produce more.  It is living and we must respect it. ORganic agriculture is controlled and labelized. Biodynamic agriculture is inspired by organic agriculture but adds the notion of dynamisme to the vignes helping them resist against exterior agressions on their own with the help of natural products administered in homeopathique doses.  Choosing certain plant mixtures and the right time of year to apply them makes all the difference.

The origin of biodynamics: in 1924 Rudolf Steiner an Austrien philospher taught the pre-cursors of this method in his agriculture classes. Since, thousands of farmers from all over the world have begun experimenting and exchanging their practices. Biodynamics require careful observation of the vignes and flexibility from the grower.

Principles : Biodynamics considers that agriculture is a part of a system in which the components are inter-dependent on each other.  The method seeks to balance the cultures with their immediate surroundings (soil, microclimate, ecosystem) and even further (Earth, planets, sun, moon).

The cycles: you know that the moon has an effect on the swamps, this appears to be evidnt and unquestionable, why does this effect not happen with cultures of plants? The sun also has an unquestionable influence on the Earth why not on the the planets closer to the sun? Biodynamics defends the idea that the Earth is part of a vast system where all planets are interdependent on each other and where each brings energy to the others.  Biodynamics tries to channel these energies.

Read the artciles on soil, on the seeding calendar, under 500 et 501.

Discovered in April 2007 during a trip in Alsace, the vineyard domaine KLUR Clément  situated in Katzenthal, right next to Colmar. Their products are now available in Quebec through private importation.  For those who are not familiar with the region, most of the production is white wine.    Many big varieties are cultivated such as the pinot gris, the pinot noir, the gewurztraminer, the pinot blanc and of course the riesling.  They are transformed into wine in various ways : dry, late harvests, and noble seeds ( the SGN is they sweetest). Even in the dry wines there can be a few grams of residual sugar.  What makes the purchase of these wines a bit cimplicated is that unless you know the domain well, it is difficult to distinguish if you are buying a dry "dry" wine or a dry "tender" wine. The wines of Francine and Clément Klur are dry across the whole spectrum. For those who know the region, we can say that the style resembles that of Trimbach. In the hierarchy of their wines, the range Katz is at the bottom of the ladder, followed by the range Klur and finally the crus Sommerberg and Wineck-Schlossberg. In addition, all of the vines are culitivated by methods of biodynamics and organic agriculture.

Bien droit ! I fyou want to learn how to recognize the riesling of Clément Klur, this wine is perfect. In the nose, frank aromas of citrus and green apple dominate, supported by presence of minerals. A bit of coniferous, type cedar, completes. The frank savours remind you of the aromas. The mouth is straight and tensed because of the slicing acidity. This riesling has a beautiful coherence. too many wines try to be larger than nature today. This makes them unbalanced. It is reassuring to see wines such as this one, an entry wine, amusingly well-made,that doesn't try to pass itself off as a great wine at double the price. The wines from this domain are available from Importations Syl-vins.  Extract from the Blog of wine of Yannick Poirié http://web.mac.com/poiriery/1001_VINS     

Millésime Bio, was created in 1993 by a handful of winegrowers from Languedoc-Roussillon members of the AIVB-LR. Their goal was to promote their products and the features of the new vintage to the purchasers. The event grew big, but don't worry the friendly spirit still remains. 2008 was the 15th time that 250 organic producers met in Perpignan. A wine contest was organised for the first time to better communicate on organic wines and promote their quality during Millésime Bio, the trade fair’s organisers have launched a competition specific to the event and 365 wines were tasted, 110 selected. 3 Alsace organic wines and also the Gewurztraminer Klur, you may order it at our online boutique.

"I've never met Clément Klur but I would really like too" writes Mike Tipping in his article about  Wines from Alsace giving 4 stars to the wine...  Well, we are waiting for your visit !!!

" Firstly, because I've recently tried three of his wines which are reasonably priced and of great quality (all three are available from York-based HC Wines).  Secondly, because he makes his wine biodynamically and organically. Having seen these practices first hand in a couple of French vineyards last year, they get my seal of approval. And thirdly, because he obviously has a good sense of humour - he makes a terrific fizz named Crémant de Clément! Klur Crémant d'Alsace Crémant de Clément' is a dry, light fizz, packed with flavour. Made from pinot blanc and auxerrois, a relatively important white variety in Alsace, it has subtle floral aromas, lightly perfumed sherbet flavours and mineral afternotes. Made in the traditional method it is far better bet than many Champagnes at three times the price. Klur makes a decent riesling too, which is to be expected in Alsace. Klur Riesling Cuvée Katz 2004 is dry and crisp with citrus fruit, honey notes and lots of minerality. If you have enough patience to store this away for a few years, your palate will be rewarded. The region also has a reputation for that most recognisable of wines, gewürztraminer, but the lychees and rose petal character of a good gewürz' can be too intense for some. Try Klur Gentil Cuvée Katz 2004 which is a more user-friendly blend of gewürz', pinot blanc and pinot gris. It still has aromas suggestive of a tart's boudoir (that's gewürz' for you) but it has a bitter-sweet edge among its perfumed complexities. It also happens to be a great wine to have with Chinese food. You will find these wines at HC Wines, run by self-confessed Francophiles John Hattam and Andy Clarke Phone John on 01904 421345 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it for details or take a look at their website

He came to Katzenthal, participated in the harvest, and took Alsace to Sweden in his heart.  He regave life to a building full of carachter, he attracted local artists and craftsmen who are internationally renowned, he created a site for the promotion of Alsace and its wines...and all of this with a lot of respect and delicacy.  He is also a Bacchus !! He is Swedish and his name is Owe.  You must discover the site at YSTAD in the Southwest of Sweden as well as the works of Owe.