Gewurztraminer, Cave de Turckheim 2021

The Cave de Turckheim co-operative was founded in 1955, and has been a leader in bettering the reputation of Alsace wines. It is now a substantial vineyard owner in the region, cultivating vines principally in Turckheim (a pretty village just north-west of Colmar), but also Wintzenheim, Niedermanschwihr and as far north as Riquewihr. With its partner co-op further north, the Cave Roi Dagobert which specialises in sparkling wines, it now boasts around 400 member growers.

For many people, gewurztraminer represents the quintessential taste of Alsace wine, and Cave de Turckheim grow this with passion and expertise, with its everyday wine, which is sold as an own-brand wine for many companies worldwide, to old-vine and grand cru bottlings, which offer some of the best quality the region has to offer.

They also grow several other classic Alsace varieties (many of which they have in common with their German counterparts across the Rhine) such as riesling, sylvaner, muscat, and pinot in all three of its gris, noir and blanc forms. From 2000 they have worked closely with their grand cru producers, paying more in exchange for lower yields 'made for quality' and their Riesling Brand is a Turckheim flagship.

Grapes are grown in diverse soils, including limestone, granite, gravel, marl and sandstone, all of which impart different characters and styles to the overall blend of the wines. Harvesting is both by hand and machine, depending on the character of the vineyard, and where possible, Turckheim practices environmentally friendly vineyard techniques, now including some organic bottlings.