Pinot Blanc 'Ribeauvillé', Domaine Louis Sipp 2020

This is not an especially ancient Alsace producer having been founded during the Great War. At the beginning it was Louis's wife, Louise who really set things up and during the inter war years, the business was expanded with vineyards, cellars in Ribeauville. Etienne Sipp is the fourth generation to enter the business, having started in 1996. He brought immediate changes in the cellars and over a period of ten years or so in the vineyards with the aim or producing better and better wines. With his wife Martine, an agronomist, they decided to put an end of the use of both herbicides and insecticides and are now certified organic. Yields too were reduced, again with the object of raising quality.

The town of Ribeauville is at the heart of Alsace and central to the story of Alsace wines. But when one thinks of Ribeauville, the riesling grape immediately comes to mind. Not surprisingly therefore, riesling is central to what Louis Sipp produces and there is a full range of vines including riesling from selected vineyard sites and Two Grands Crus, Osterberg and Kirchberg.

The style of Sipp wines could be described as classic. Rieslings are steely dry and typically long lived. Louis Sipp produces wines from all grape varieties and in all styles, all with an eye to gastronomy.

Etienne Sipp is, as well as a great winemaker, also a very keen photographer, specialising in landscapes and wildlife