Christophe Lindenlaub

A griffes acérées

On the Alsace wine route, in the small village of Dorlisheim, the name Lindenlaub has been synonymous with viticulture for almost 200 years! Today, the estate cultivates some 10 hectares of vines located mainly on the localities of Husaren, Stierkopf and Rangenberg, on the hills of Mutzig and Dorlisheim. The soils are mainly clay-limestone on sandstone, which gives the grapes this mineral depth and aromatic amplitude.

The family proudly cultivates the 7 Alsatian grape varieties, Riesling, Gewurtztraminer, Muscat, Sylvaner, Pinot Auxerrois, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir.

Christophe, who holds a BTS from Rouffach and after a first internship at Domaine Kientzler in Ribeauvillé, joined the estate alongside his father, Jacques, and quickly sought to impose his style, citing Patrick Meyer as an example. In 2009, Christophe took the crazy gamble of converting the entire estate to organic farming, a mission well accomplished. He obtained the European organic certification (AB) in 2012, thus taking part in an increasingly important trend in this region, which can pride itself on being the most "organic" in France, all crops combined. The grapes are all harvested by hand and Christophe favours stainless steel tanks for his vinifications, in order to preserve the fresh and fruity expression of the grapes.

The winemaking styles are also varied: crémant, natural sparkling or "pet-nat", macerations, sweet and oxidative wines, and then the more classic whites and reds. Christophe likes to test, to experiment, to try, just as much as he likes to taste and discover what is being done elsewhere.

With the AB label in his pocket, Christophe continues to transform the estate, and gradually switches most of the production to natural vinification, without any additives nor filtration. A first attempt in 2012 with the Pinot Noir, then a Sylvaner in 2013 and it is the turn of the rest of the range to go natural from the 2014 vintage.

Defending a simple idea, to produce high quality wines, respecting nature, the terroir and the environment. This is the birth of the Ensō range, which takes on a little more importance in the production with each vintage. Free and lively wines, which have for Christophe that little extra something that differentiates a good wine from a great wine.