Domaine Rieflé Web site

The Rieflé family have been making wine for three centuries. The winery lies in Pfaffenheim in the Haut-Rhin where François Rieflé made the family’s first wines in the early 18th century. The region’s dry microclimate and calcium-rich soils give the wines great power and tremendous length: these are top quality white wines which are delicately aromatic and elegant. In Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Gewürztraminer and Riesling they also offer wonderful alternatives to the omnipresent Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. The Steinert vineyard is one of Alsace's fifty Grand Cru vineyards and the steepest in the commune of Pfaffenheim; it is planted with Pinot Gris, Riesling and Gewürztraminer and produces age-worthy wines with a great degree of depth. Rieflé’s speciality grape is Pinot Gris and that makes the Pinot Gris Steinert a wine well worth seeking out: intense fruit aromas combine with a touch of smokiness leading to rich, slightly honeyed flavours. The Crémant d' Alsace is always worth considering as an alternative to Champagne: elegant and floral in character it is made entirely from Pinot Blanc from an assemblage of several vintages, méthode traditionelle. For an excellent aperitif or to accompany a light lunch, Pinot Blanc (this one described by Michael Broadbent as the best Pinot Blanc he has ever tasted) is always a serious contender with its delicate floral characters and fresh fruit appeal.