Widely regarded as one of the best co-operatives in the world, Cave de Turckheim lies at the mouth of the Munster Valley. Working closely with 180 partners, its vineyards span the full breadth of Alsatian terroir and grape varieties. Substantial investment in the winery has enabled the team to vinify many parcels of grapes separately, offering Michel Lihrmann (senior winemaker for 25 years) the chance to highlight each wine’s nuances in his signature dry, yet fruit forward, style.
These vines, which are over 30 years old, give a particular concentration and richness to the wine. The Turckheim Gewurztraminer Vieilles Vignes bouquet is dense and jammy – a mixture of plum and mango fruit. The palate is clean, lifted by hints of lime and a minerally character; spicy, silky and very long. Fantastically scrumptious without being over-the-top.
Cave de Turckheim has been a pioneer of organic viticulture in Alsace, actively supporting a number of its growers’ decisions to convert in 2008. These winegrowers have revived ancestral practices, tilling the soil and undertaking work that facilitates the elimination of weeds and helps combat disease. Natural fertilisers are also used (nettle, horsetail, comfrey and dandelion), fortifying the vines and increasing their natural resistance. Organic winegrowers meticulously observe their vines, enabling them to intervene in the right place and at the right time, rather than treating the plants systematically. With the first vineyards achieving organic certification in 2011, Cave de Turckheim now has 35ha of certified vineyards – the largest organic vineyard holdings in Alsace.
