France > Alsace > Rolly-Gassmann

Organic, Biodynamic

Alsace, the boundary territory currently belonging to France and facing Germany along the Rhine, is one of the most complex wine regions in Europe. The politics are complex- originally the inheritance of Lothar, Charlemagne’s grandson, Emperor of East, Central and West Francia; and King in the central territories of the Empire, it became Lotharingia, a vast stretch of territory reaching from Belgium (and the Imperial capital at Aachen) down through the Rhine and Alps into the Imperial territories in Italian Lombardy. Lotharingia, today’s Lorraine, forms the northern stretch of Alsace-Lorraine. West Francia has evolved into France, East Francia into Germany, and the central territory and Imperial title have been contested since the mid-800’s AD. Part of the Holy Roman Empire until it reverted to French control in the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, then part of the Kingdom of France, then the First Republic, French Empire, Second Republic, Second Empire and Third Republic. It was absorbed by Germany during World War I, then back to France (Fourth Republic) between the World Wars, then back to Germany during World War II, and now back to France (the Fifth Republic) in 1945. This history can be seen in the Germanic architectural styles of much of Alsace, in the names of the residents (generally German surnames, but with French given names), and in the local language, Alsatian, with its grammatical and vocabulary hybrid of French and German.

The geology is complex. Alsace sits on the Vosges Mountains, facing across the Rhine Graben towards the highlands of the Rheinpfalz (The Palatinate) and the Schwartzwald, the Black Forest. The Vosges are largely ancient billion-year-plus old crystalline basement rocks, overlain by a vast sequence of Paleozoic marine sediments (limestone, sandstone) and interspersed with volcanic strata. The Rhine Graben, a massive tectonic rift valley, ripped through the ancient basement rocks in the Cenozoics (<65mya), and newer volcanics were emplaced into the sedimentary rocks shedding off the moutains into the vast Graben.

And the wine terroir is complex. Alsace in general is composed of a diverse patchwork of soils derived from volcanic rocks from the Vosges and Rhine Graben, from marine limestones and sandstones, and from vast and complex glacial and post-glacial sediment complexes. These combine with the topography of a heavily-dissected moutnain range creating diverse sun exposures, slopes, drainage and microclimates to craft an area of about 38,000 acres producing some 150 million bottles annually, underlain by 13 recognized soil types, and divided into hundreds of distinct vineyards. The diversity of terroir supports a great diversity of wine types crafted from nearly a dozen grape varieties - Alsace is the only Appellation Controllee in France allowed to label their wines by grape variety (such wines are by law made from 100% of the named variety.) Created in 1975, the sub-appellation Alsace Grand Cru recognizes 51 Grand Cru vineyards strung like pearls along the necklace of Alsace and representing about 4% of Alsace wine prodution; and there is a separate AOC for sparkling wines, Cremant d’Alsace, made by the classic methode champenoise, and representing about 18% of the total regional wine production.

domaine rolly-gassmann

The Gassmann family has been making wine in the village of Rorschwihr since 1661.  The current domaine name dates to the 1967 marriage of Marie-Therese Rolly and Louis Gassmann, and today the estate is largely managed by their son Pierre Gassmann.  With 126 acres under vine and vast cellars extending six stories deep under their hillside and capable of holding a million bottles of wine, Domaine Rolly-Gassman makes some of the most compelling wines in Alsace.

The Estate

The Gassmanns own no Grand Cru vineyards, but they have a series of lieux-dits in the important villages of Rorschwihr, Bergheim, and Rodern.  Rorschwihr in particular is famed for the nearly 2 dozen different soil types recognized as early as 1000 AD and allowing the perfect pairing of variety and soil.  Wines from this region have been famed for millenia, with Rorschwihr's vineyards being treasured as part of the Merovingian Royal Demesne as early as 742 AD.  Many of these sites have been referred to as Grands Crus for centuries, long predating the INAO classification system implemented in 1975 and revised since.

Rodern in contrast is unique - it’s one of only 5 locations in france with a blue marl / granitic soil. Known locally as “the cradle of Pinot Noir,” this village of 374 souls at the foot of the Haut Koenigsburg also produces a bit of Pinot Gris and Gewurz, but Rolly-Gassmann produces only Pinot Noir from this village.

Viticulture & Vinification

All are farmed organically using biodynamic practices - Pierre is a member of the Vignes Vivantes, a regional body dedicated to organic viticulture. All sites are farmed with green cover and only organic fertilizers are used. Harvest is by hand in all vineyard plots.

Each plot is vinified separately using a very slow fermentation with wild natural yeasts. Fermentations generally stop in winter in their cool, deep cellars, leaving significant residual sweetness in many of the wines. The result is lush, yet balanced wines of great power and complexity, and that generally age well for 20 to 50 years from the vintage. Because of this and because the estate has literally over a million bottles in its vintage library, the wines are often released in small batches years after harvest.

The Terroir(s)

The Rolly-Gassmann estate’s vineyards are located in the Central Alsace villages of Bergheim, Rodern, and Rorschwihr; just north of the Strenbach River on which sits the important village of Ribeauville.

The soils here are derived from the Triassic continentally-derived Vosges Sandstone, the shallow-marine Muschelkalk (c. 230 million years old), overlying marine sandstones and limestones from the Lias (c. 200 million years old), Tertiary (2-65 million year old) bluegray marls and limestones, and then glacial and postglacial alluvial, lacustrine and riverine deposits. This complexity provides the basis the the 21 identified subsoils in the area, and the 12 distinct crus (vineyard sites) that have been recognized for over 1,000 years.

Although terroir plays a key role for Rolly-Gassmann's wines, the wines are fruit-driven, highly expressive of their varietal character, with lush residual sweetness balanced by bracing acidity.  They make wines from every grape variety in Alsace, along with Vendanges Tardives wines and occasional Selections des Grains Nobles. 

IN BERGHEIM

Brandhurst: The “Burning Bush,” refers to the vines that continue to grow even though their heads are in the blazing summer sun. The vineyard is a south-facing amphitheater at 825-890ft, protected from north and east winds. Winters are mild, summers long and warm. The soils in this bowl-shaped vineyard are richer and deeper composed of limestone/marl and loam. The long season and heat-retaining qualities of site and soil result in rich, powerful wines with relatively high ripeness. The vineyard makes great VT and SGN wines as well as superb normal-harvest wines. Planted to 60% Gewurztraminer, 15% Pinot Grigio, 15% Riesling and 10% other vines.

Hagueneau: Named for the convent of Hagueneau, a former owner, this vineyard sits on a high plateau at about 1025ft at the tip of one of the Vosges easternmost ridges. From this perch, the vines see full sun from sunrise till sunset. Protected by the great peak of the Altenberg to the north, the vineyard is sheltered from the north wind, and the predominant airflow is the foehn, the warm downslope wind sliding down the peak’s southern face. The foehn provides ventilation and drying, accelerating ripening, helping with passerillage- the shrivelling of the grapes, prevention of gray rot, and promotion of noble rot. This allows the vineyard to produce great VT and SGN wines on a regular basis, for which the vineyard is famed. Hagueneau’s soils are thin and stony, derived from the underlying Keuper (upper Triassic, 200-228 million years old) dolostone. Deep fractures provide excellent drainage as well as allowing the vines’ roots to access the highly magnesium-enriched rock. This gives the wines of Hagueneau a distinct minerality and salinity, and the combination of sweet and savory notes is a hallmark of this lieu-dit. Planted to 70% Gewurztraminer, 18% Riesling, 10% Pinot Gris and 2% Pinot Noir.

IN RORSCHWIHR

Grasberg: The “Grass Mountain” named in reference to the large section under conservation as grassland straddling the boundary between Bergheim and Rorschwihr. 33 acres, facing east / northeast at 890-1090 ft elevation. The soils are in origin the 170-165 million year old, richly-fossiliferous, Great Oolitic Limestone, a formation deposited in warm, shallow tropical seas, The region was emergent for some 130 million years, then with the collapse of the Rhine graben in the Tertiary 37-31 million years ago the surface stone was reworked by erosion and wave action into gravel and sands, later recompacted. Surface soils are a thin covering of limestone cobbles and gravels derived from the underlying rock.

Kappelweg: The Chapel Road [Chapel Way], in reference to the Convent of Moyenmoutier which owned the site for centuries starting in the 700’s. Just under 15 acres on a fairly level plateau at 745-775 ft, about halfway down the mountain to the Rhine Valley plain below. Soils a complex mix of loam, sand, gravel and limestone derived as sediments from the Vosges, dating to the interglacial period about 1.6 to 2 million years ago. Because of its location on an isolated plateau, it is less vulnerable to the strong north winds that dominate the region. Flowering comes a week earlier than the rest of the village (rabbits and birds breed about 2 weeks ahead of the rest of the village here), and the site produces wines of feminine grace and delicacy. Plantings include 60% Riesling, 20% Gewurztraminer and about 15% Muscat.

Kugelberg: “Ball Mountain” in reference to the iron-rich concretions resembling musket balls found in the limestones. 20-acre vineyard with south and east exposure on 31-37 million-year-old limestone/marl substrates, at 820-960ft. The underlying limestones are highly iron and magnesium rich, giving the wines a rich minerality.

Lachreben: The “Laughing Vines,” with a name of uncertain origin. 28 acres of east / southeast facing vines at 745-960ft. Soils are of two types separated by a geologic fault line creating two separate blocks- a northern one of marine lagoon deposits including evaporites (primarily gypsum) from the upper Triassic (230-210 million years), and the southern two-thirds on open-ocean marls and sandstones from the lower Jurassic (200-185 million years). Neither terrain was inundated by the collapse of the Rhine Graben in the Tertiary, so the Jurassic oceanic limestones are near to the surface. Both blocks are covered by a layer of sandy scree derived from sandstones and granites present further up into the Vosges. This site is somewhat cooler, with nearby mountains tempering the sunlight and directing cooling winds from the nearby granitic terrains further into the Vosges. Fruit here ripens slowly and must be picked somewhat later to achieve full ripeness. Planted to 30% Riesling, 15% Pinot Gris, 10% Gewurztraminer, 5% Pinot Noir and the remaining 40% a mix of other varietals.

Moenchreben: The “Monks’ Vines” have been owned and cultivated by the Abbey of Wissemburg and the Monks of Moyenmoutier since before 700AD. The vineyard of about 35 acres lies on either side of a east-pointing spur of the Vosges one side facing south while the other faces northeast. Both sides get a full day’s strong sun and produce very rich, ripe wines. The vineyard sections lie between 695 and 745ft on two ribbons of land, planted in stony gravelly marly mixed soils dating to the Tertiary/Quaternary interglacial (about 1.6 million years ago). Moenchreben is planted to 40% Auxerrios, 20% Muscat, 20% Gewurztraminer and about 20% other varietals.

Oberer Weingarten: The “Upper [meaning superior, best part} Wine Garden [vineyard] - the core of the Merovingian royal estates in Rorschwihr, passed through Pepin to Charlemagne, and eventually to the great Abbey of Cluny. One of the finest sites in all of Alsace. 15 acres of south / east facing vines at 745-860ft. The soils are very heavily reworked glacial and interglacial sedimentary deposits of sand, gravels, clay and crushed limestone dating to about 800,000 years ago. The vines are primarily Gewurztraminer and Riesling.

Pflaenzerreben: Called “Vine Plants” in reference to a 13th-century designation of this site as the location where the original genetic diversity and selection massale was practiced as opposed to selective breeding and clonal selection. These “mother vineyards” were and still are recognized for producing wines of exceptional complexity and structure. Today there are some 3 dozen Pflaenzer still recognized throughout Alsace. This site is about 16.5 acres with east-northeast exposure at 675-750ft elevation. Soils are interglacial sandy loams dating to about 800,000 years ago, topped with a thin veneer of more recent postglacial gravel deposits. Planted to 50% Pinot Gris, 40% Riesling, and 10% Gewurztraminer.

The Wines

Because each vineyard may produce regular harvest, Vendange Tardive and/or Selectin des Grains Nobles wines from any grape in any given year, a complete list of what’s produced will vary significantly from year to year. In addition, wines from single-vineyard sites me be declassified into the “generic” varietal wines the Estate regularly produces. The following is a non-comprehensive list of what may be available at any time:

Varietals:

• Auxerrois

• Gewurztraminer

• Muscat

• Pinot Blanc

• Pinot Gris

• Pinot Noir

• Riesling

• Sylvaner

From Rodern, but not vineyard-designated:

• Pinot Noir de Rodern

From Rorschwihr, but not vineyard-designated:

• Riesling & Riesling Vendange Tardive “Cuvee Yves”

Brandhurst de Bergheim:

• Gewurztraminer, Gewurztraminer VT, Gewurztraminer SGN

• Pinot Gris, Pinot Gris VT, Pinot Gris SGN

Hagueneau de Bergheim:

• Gewurztraminer, Gewurztraminer VT, Gewurztraminer SGN

Kappelweg de Rorschwihr:

• Gewurztraminer, Gewurztraminer VT, Gewurztraminer SGN

• Riesling, Riesling VT, Riesling SGN

Lachreben de Rorschwihr:

• Riesling, Riesling VT, Riesling SGN

Moenchreben de Rorschwihr:

• Auxerrois

• Muscat, Muscat VT, Muscat SGN

Oberer Weingarten de Rorschwihr:

• Gewurztraminer, Gewurztraminer VT, Gewurztraminer SGN

• Riesling, Riesling VT, Riesling SGN

Pflaenzerreben de Rorschwihr:

• Pinot Gris, Pinot Gris VT, Pinot Gris SGN

• Riesling, Riesling VT, Riesling SGN

Rotleibel de Rorschwihr:

• Auxerrois

• Pinot Gris, Pinot Gris VT, Pinot Gris SGN

• Silberberg de Rorschwihr

• Pinot Gris, Pinot Gris VT, Pinot Gris SGN

• Riesling, Riesling VT, Riesling SGN

Stegreben de Rorschwihr:

• Gewurztraminer, Gewurztraminer VT, Gewurztraminer SGN

• Gewurztraminer SGN Cuvee Anne-Marie

Rotleibel: “Beloved Red” for the red soils of this vineyard. 45 acres at 645-710ft with 2-8 inches of interglacial steppe loess (windblown soils) derived from largely iron-rich limestones, on top of a deep alluvial gravel and sand cone deposited on the flank of the Vosges Mountains by periglacial river flow. The site is exposed to frequent southerly winds and late-season foehn winds which promote drying of soils, vines and fruit. Thicker skins and drying breezes prevent grey rot while morning mists and dew facilitate noble rot (Botrytis cinerea) leading to superb late-harvest wines. South and East exposure. Planted to 50% Auxerrrois, 42% Pinot Gris, 8% Riesling.

Silberberg: “Silver Mountain” named for the brilliant flecks of mica in the soils derived from the granitic rocks present at the top of the mountain. A 29-acre vineyard at 925-1075 ft on the lower part of the mountain, with south and northeast exposure on Jurassic (c. 200 million year old) clayey and limestone marls deposited into the flooded Rhine Graben. More recent (post-glacial) flow of acidic groundwater from the granitic rock and soils at the top of the Silberberg has dissolved much of the Muschelkalk, stripping out the carbonates and concentrating the acid-resistant silicate minerals; while steepening the slopes. This has created a site dominated by diurnal up- and down-slope breezes, lowering ripeness and preserving acidity. Planted to 85% Riesling, 5% Pinot Gris, 5% Gewurztraminer and 5% other varietals.

Stegreben: The “Staircase of Vines” referring to the slope of the vineyards and possibly to the presence of a Roman wall along the eastern side of part of the land, the Stegreben is a 13.5 acre vineyard at 825-825ft, facing east / southeast. The subsoils are oolitic limestone conglomerates of the Dogger Formation, deposited in the Tertiary (37-31 million years ago) by violently-rushing waters rushing out of the clifflike eastern face of the Vosges Mountains into the collapsing Rhine Graben. Somewhat iron/magnesium rich matrix gives the wines a mineral quality. Planted to 85% Gewurztraminer, 5% Pinot Gris, 5% Muscat and 5% other vines.