TERROIR PROFILE
Colmar & Kaysersberger Tal
Geological diversity — granite to volcanic
Haut-Rhin — home of all major Alsace Grand Crus: Schoenenbourg, Sporen, Brand, Hengst, Rangen.
Climate, site & wine
Granite, limestone, marl and sandstone alternate in a small area: Brand near Turckheim stands on granite, Schoenenbourg near Riquewihr on Keuper marl, Mambourg and Hengst on calcareous marl. Riesling turns spicy, tense or full-bodied depending on the substrate.
Gewürztraminer and Pinot Gris ripen fully here. Typical are dry to off-dry, powerful wines with clear site character.
TERROIR PROFILE · Alsace
Colmar & Kaysersberger Tal Geological diversity — granite to volcanic
Haut-Rhin — home of all major Alsace Grand Crus: Schoenenbourg, Sporen, Brand, Hengst, Rangen.
SOILS
Limestoneprecise, mineral
Limestone delivers tension, structure and a cooler, more mineral character.
Graniteelegant, lightly spicy
Weathered granite produces elegant, slender wines with fine, lightly spicy profile.
Marlbalanced, structured
Marl is a mix of limestone and clay — yields structured, balanced wines with acidity backbone.
Sandstonewarm, dry, spicy
Sandstone warms quickly and yields ripe, fragrant wines with yellow fruit and fine spice.
CLIMATE · Warm · Dry · Sunny
Very dry and sunny: the Vosges hold back the rain, and Colmar is among the driest cities in France. Warm summers and long, mild autumns allow late harvests; spring frost is rare.
TOPOGRAPHY · moderate
Slopes on the eastern edge of the Vosges between about 200 and 400 metres, facing mostly east to southeast. The wine villages run from Bergheim and Ribeauvillé via Riquewihr, Kaysersberg and Turckheim to Eguisheim.
WHAT IT MEANS IN THE GLASS
Similar terroirs worldwide
Computed from fingerprint similarity
Leiningerland (Nordpfalz)
Palatinate
96% similar
- Minerality (slightly): Colmar & Kaysersberger Tal is more mineral → salty-stony notes, more tension (8 vs. 7).
Würzburg & Maindreieck
Franconia
94% similar
- Body (slightly): Colmar & Kaysersberger Tal gives more body → fuller, more powerful wines (7 vs. 6).
- Freshness (slightly): Colmar & Kaysersberger Tal has less freshness → gentler acidity, earlier drinking (6 vs. 7).
Wineries on this terroir
See all 73 →Maison F.E. Trimbach
Ribeauvillé
Renown 86/100
Domaine Weinbach
Kaysersberg
Renown 83/100
Domaine Albert Boxler
Niedermorschwihr
Renown 79/100
Domaine Marcel Deiss
Bergheim
Renown 77/100
Domaine Zind-Humbrecht
Turckheim
Renown 74/100
Maison Dopff au Moulin
Riquewihr
Renown 67/100
Domaine Émile Beyer
Eguisheim
Renown 66/100
Domaine Kuentz-Bas
Husseren-les-Châteaux
Renown 64/100
This terroir's soils in the glossary