We have been representing the wines of this superb small estate located in the fairytale village of Hunawihr since 1998 and in all of that time, they have always remained consummate. Jacques and Laura Sipp may have aged a little but their sense of humour and attention to detail have never wavered. Their daughter Carolyn has grown ever so slightly and now makes the wines with her father! And I have gone bald and what little hair that is left has gone grey, but their wines remain consistently great and if anything, thanks to the conversion to organic Farming, they have increased in quality.
The family own 23 hectares of vines, nearly all given over to white varietals, with the exception of a small proportion of Old Vines Pinot Noir. The vineyards are to be found close to the winery, within 4 kilometers and are spread between the fairytale villages of Hunwihr, Ribeauvillé and Bergheim.
Vineyards are tended by a small and dedicated team of workers who are most diligent in their tasks. Throughout the year there is always something to be done to ensure that the harvest will be the finest quality that can be achieved.
Naturally, the grape picking is done by hand by a team of around 30 workers that return every year. Because the vineyards are situated so close to the winery, the harvest is transferred directly to the press house without delay. The presses are pneumatic and state-of-the-art thus ensuring that the juice obtained can be slowly fermented to give great expression of each individual grape variety together with a sense of origin or terroir as the French say.
Once the alcoholic fermentation is completed, all done in stainless steel tanks, the wines are kept for a period on the fine lees before a further short ageing in old oak casks before bottling.
The results of this hands-on process are quite remarkable. All of the permitted 7 grape varieties are produced inclusive of the wines of the two Grand Cru vineyards of Rosacker and Osterberg which are quite magnificent.
These wines are certainly something that should not be missed. Not only do the grape varieties and terroir shine through in the wines, but also the wonderful personalities of the Sipp family.
The family also own several Gites de France that you can hire while you soak up the true expression of Alsace on a stay there. The welcome is always warm and you’ll have access to some fantastic wines!