Steinklotz

Steinklotz holds the remarkable distinction of being the oldest documented vineyard in Alsace. The historian Gregory of Tours recorded it in 589 AD as a property belonging to the Merovingian King Childebert II. Just decades later, in 613 AD, King Dagobert gifted the vineyard to the Abbey of Haslach, cementing its importance as an ecclesiastical property during the early medieval period. This unbroken thread of historical record stretches back over 1,400 years, making Steinklotz a site of genuine archaeological and viticultural significance. Its official classification as an Alsace Grand Cru came in 1992.

• First documented in 589 AD by Gregory of Tours
• Gifted to Abbey of Haslach by King Dagobert in 613 AD
• Oldest recorded vineyard in Alsace
• Classified as Alsace Grand Cru AOC in 1992

Steinklotz sits above the village of Marlenheim, positioned at the northern tip of the Alsace Grand Cru network. At 40.6 hectares, it benefits from a south to south-southeast aspect and elevations ranging from 200 to 300 meters. The Vosges Mountains to the west create a pronounced rain shadow, delivering the sunny, hot, and dry continental conditions that allow grapes to achieve full phenolic ripeness even at this northern latitude. The combination of aspect, elevation, and climate protection makes Steinklotz far warmer and drier than its geographical position might suggest.

The geological foundation of Steinklotz is among the most distinctive in Alsace. The vineyard sits on Muschelkalk limestone, a Triassic-era marine sedimentary rock, alongside Keuper dolomitic limestone. Both formations contribute to a calcareous-magnesium brown topsoil. This calcium and magnesium-rich profile promotes excellent drainage while imposing a natural stress on vines that drives root systems deep. The result is the pronounced mineral character and structural tension that distinguishes Steinklotz wines from those of Grand Crus built on granite or sandstone.

• Muschelkalk limestone: Triassic marine sedimentary rock
• Keuper dolomitic limestone adds magnesium to the soil profile
• Calcareous-magnesium brown topsoil ensures excellent drainage
• Limestone soils favor aromatic precision and mineral tension in the wines

Steinklotz is authorized for the four classic Alsace Grand Cru varieties, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, and Muscat, as well as Pinot Noir, which is permitted here as one of the few Grand Crus where red wine production is allowed. The limestone-driven terroir tends to produce wines with fine minerality, complexity, and considerable aging potential. Gewurztraminer and Riesling both express particular elegance here, with the spicy, aromatic richness of Gewurztraminer balanced by the site's natural tension, and Riesling showing the linear precision and longevity associated with calcareous soils.

Several producers work the Steinklotz hillside, ranging from large négociants to small family domaines. Arthur Metz and Helfrich represent well-established commercial houses with significant presence in the appellation. Among smaller estate producers, Domaine Serge Fend, Domaine Hubert Reyser, and Romaine Fritsch offer more artisanal interpretations of the terroir. Given the site's relatively large 40.6-hectare size by Alsace Grand Cru standards, there is a range of stylistic approaches across the different parcels and producers.