Domaine Weinbach

Domaine Weinbach stands at the foot of the Schlossberg hill, and its name, 'wine brook', comes from the small stream that runs through it. Capuchin monks built it in 1612. Sold as national property during the French Revolution, it was acquired in 1898 by the Faller brothers, who passed it on to their son and nephew Théo Faller. Théo Faller was an ardent promoter of the Alsace vineyard's recognition as an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée, and he developed, enlarged, and embellished the property. The operating company is Domaine Weinbach SA, at 25 Route du Vin in Kaysersberg.

• Built in 1612 by Capuchin monks
• Sold as national property during the French Revolution
• Acquired in 1898 by the Faller brothers, who passed it to their son and nephew Théo
• Operating company: Domaine Weinbach SA, 25 Route du Vin, 68240 Kaysersberg

Théo Faller (d. 1979) was succeeded in 1979 by his wife, the late Colette Faller, who took over the running of Weinbach that year with their daughters Catherine and Laurence. Laurence and Catherine were in charge of winemaking and sales respectively. Laurence Faller (d. 2014) was a winemaker at the domaine. Catherine Faller has directed the domaine since 2016 with her sons Eddy and Théo, and Eddy Leiber-Faller is the publication director of the domaine's website.

• Catherine Faller: directs the domaine since 2016, with her sons Eddy and Théo
• Eddy Leiber-Faller: publication director of the domaine's website
• From 1979: Colette Faller with her daughters Catherine and Laurence
• Laurence Faller (d. 2014) led winemaking and Catherine Faller led sales

The domaine farms 38 hectares on granitic, marl-limestone-sandstone, and limestone soils, mostly on slopes in the Kaysersberg valley. The walled Clos des Capucins covers 5 hectares. It is cited as early as 890, when Empress Richarde gave it to the Abbey of Etival, which in turn detached part of it for the Capuchin monks at the beginning of the 17th century. Its sandy-silty soils over granite gravel and pebbles give slightly earlier-ripening wines. Grand Cru Schlossberg rises from 230 metres to 400 metres on granite (migmatite) bedrock, with steep south-facing slopes that require terraces; from 1928 the growers of Kaysersberg and Kientzheim had recorded its production rules in a written convention. Grand Cru Furstentum, in Kientzheim and Sigolsheim at 300 to 400 metres, is cited in 1330 in the inventory of vines belonging to the convent of Basel. Grand Cru Mambourg overlooks Sigolsheim at 210 to 350 metres, and Grand Cru Marckrain lies south of Bennwihr at 200 to 300 metres with east and southeast exposures. The Altenbourg lieu-dit, at 220 to 300 metres, sits just below the Furstentum boundary. The grape-variety wines come mainly from the parcels surrounding the property, from old vines planted by Théo Faller himself.

• Total: 38 hectares
• Clos des Capucins: 5 hectares within the walls of the former Capuchin convent; sandy-silty soils over granite gravel and pebbles
• Grand Cru Schlossberg: granite, 230 to 400 metres, steep south-facing terraces
• Grand Cru Furstentum (300 to 400 m), Grand Cru Mambourg (210 to 350 m), Grand Cru Marckrain (200 to 300 m)
• Lieu-dit Altenbourg: 220 to 300 metres, just below the Furstentum boundary

Organic methods have replaced chemical herbicides, fertilisers, treatments, and insecticides at the domaine since 1990. In 1998 it began practising biodynamics on 8 hectares while the rest of the vineyards were farmed organically, and since the 2005 vintage all of its 38 hectares have been worked biodynamically. Its preparations use plant materials such as nettle, horsetail, and willow, alongside horn manure (500) and horn silica (501), applied at precise moments of the year. The grapes are harvested entirely by hand.

• Organic methods since 1990
• Biodynamics from 1998 on 8 hectares; all 38 hectares since the 2005 vintage
• Ecocert (organic) and Demeter (biodynamic) certifications
• Entirely hand-harvested

The domaine describes its winemaking as a minimum of intervention with extreme attention. Grapes are picked at optimal ripeness with rigorous selection, the juice is extracted by gentle, progressive pressing, and fermentations are long, in old oak foudres, driven exclusively by indigenous yeasts. Weinbach describes every cuvée as sharing the same search for purity and elegance allied to richness and balance, which makes them wines for gastronomy. In the domaine's words, Schlossberg gives Riesling a very pure fruit expression with remarkable breeding and finesse, while Furstentum brings its Gewurztraminers remarkable aromatic complexity, great finesse, and long ageing potential.

• Gentle, progressive pressing
• Long fermentations in old oak foudres with indigenous yeasts only
• Stated style goal: purity and elegance allied to richness and balance
• Terroir and cuvée wines come from parcel selections

Weinbach's range runs from grape-variety wines (Sylvaner, Pinot Blanc, Muscat, Pinot Gris) and the Vignes du Prêcheur to terroir and Grand Cru bottlings, with cuvées Théo, Colette, Laurence, and Sainte Catherine that carry the first names of Faller family members. Most of the domaine's Rieslings come from the Schlossberg, except the Riesling Cuvée Théo, which is grown in the Clos des Capucins. The Riesling Schlossberg Cuvée Sainte Catherine and L'Inédit ! come from 60-year-old vines at mid-slope, and the Schlossberg also yields a Pinot Noir "S" from old vines. The Clos des Capucins also gives a Pinot Gris, a Gewurztraminer Cuvée Théo, and a Pinot Noir, and the lowest part of the Altenbourg gives the Gewurztraminer Cuvée Laurence. Late-harvest Vendanges Tardives, Sélections de Grains Nobles, and the rare Quintessences de Grains Nobles complete the range.

• Riesling Grand Cru Schlossberg and Riesling Schlossberg Cuvée Sainte Catherine
• Riesling Cuvée Théo (Clos des Capucins) and Riesling Cuvée Colette
• Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Furstentum, Gewurztraminer Cuvée Laurence (Altenbourg), Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Mambourg
• Pinot Gris Clos des Capucins, Pinot Gris Les Caracoles, Pinot Gris Altenbourg
• Pinot Noir Clos des Capucins, Altenbourg, Jardin aux Oiseaux, and Colline du Chateau
• Vendanges Tardives, Sélections de Grains Nobles, and Quintessences de Grains Nobles

Primary sources (producer's own site): https://www.domaineweinbach.com/, https://www.domaineweinbach.com/fr/le-domaine, https://www.domaineweinbach.com/fr/les-terroirs, https://www.domaineweinbach.com/fr/les-terroirs/le-clos-des-capucins, https://www.domaineweinbach.com/fr/les-terroirs/altenbourg-terroir, https://www.domaineweinbach.com/fr/les-terroirs/grand-cru-schlossberg, https://www.domaineweinbach.com/fr/les-terroirs/grand-cru-furstentum, https://www.domaineweinbach.com/fr/les-terroirs/grand-cru-mambourg, https://www.domaineweinbach.com/fr/les-terroirs/grand-cru-marckrain, https://www.domaineweinbach.com/fr/vinification, https://www.domaineweinbach.com/fr/les-vins, https://www.domaineweinbach.com/fr/les-vins/vins-de-cepages, https://www.domaineweinbach.com/fr/les-vins/cuvees-terroirs-grandscrus, https://www.domaineweinbach.com/fr/les-vins/vendanges-tardives-alsace, https://www.domaineweinbach.com/fr/biodynamie, https://www.domaineweinbach.com/fr/vendanges, https://www.domaineweinbach.com/fr/mentions-legales, https://www.domaineweinbach.com/fr/les-accords-mets-et-vins. Secondary sources: Decanter (Sue Style, Colette Faller report, 2015), Jancis Robinson (Farewell Colette Faller). Last verified 2026-10-12. Where the producer's site and a secondary source disagree, the producer's site governs. Spot something off? Submit a correction: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdM0MsYoQFCpXb4qbSPVM2TBRuC2624pOhrffs7IGhpfGCCQA/viewform