Domaine Schoffit

Bernard Schoffit was a pioneer in Alsace's greatest Grand Cru, Rangen de Thann. The domaine started by Bernard's father, Robert at 10 hectares, is based near Colmar. Thirty years ago and after years of negotiation, Bernard embarked on an ambitious program of buying vineyard land in the central part of Rangen, including the Clos St Théobold which faces due south. Through sheer determination and ambition, he reclaimed all 6.5 hectares, a good part of which had been abandoned because it was too steep to work.

Today Bernard is still very active in the vineyard, though he has now formally passed the reins to the third generation, his son Alexandre. And from these incredibly steep and rocky slopes, with extremely low yields, Alexandre is making simply extraordinary wines from each of the Alsace Grand Cru varieties.

Atogether, Rangen represents about 1/3 of the family’s vineyard holdings of 18.8 ha, but requires about 2/3 of the family’s time to work these incredibly steep slopes. And the yields here are as low as half those of most other Grand Cru vineyards.

Schoffit's 6.5 ha is almost 30 % of Rangen and makes it the largest holder of this prestigious Grand Cru, just ahead of Zind-Humbrecht. Their plantings are made up of 40 % each Riesling and Pinot Gris, 15 % Gewürztraminer and 5 % Muscat.

In this terroir Pinot Gris moves into conversation about the ‘world’s greatest white wines’ with the smoky notes coming both from the terroir and the variety imparting a rare energy and intensity to the wines without excess alcohol or sugar and with perfectly pitched acidity. Gewürztraminer is also elevated to exceptional levels in this vineyard producing wines of outstanding balance, once again without any excess of alcohol or sugar and with pitch-perfect acidity.

Today, the Schoffit domaine of 18.8 ha includes vines in Colmar and Niedermorschwihr as well as Thann, along with a very small (0.2 ha) but prized holding in the granite terroir of the prestigious Sommerberg Grand Cru.

The following notes are from Andrew Jefford, Decanter Magazine, October 2016.

‘Rangen has, in the past, been called ‘the Montrachet of Alsace’. The varieties and flavours are different, of course, but in other respects the analogy is exact: these great, complete wines are in many ways the apogee of their region, and should be represented in every fine-wine collection.

Every time I taste great wines from the Rangen de Thann, Alsace’s most southerly Grand Cru, they strike me a culmination of everything that wine lovers revere about terroir, and why they accord it so much importance. They are, in other words, not only very fine wines, but their scents and flavours are marked by an otherness for which ‘mineral’ seems the inescapable term. 

No other single vineyard in Alsace comes close to Rangen for sheer force of personality, and if I was asked to nominate any vineyard anywhere in the world as producing “the ultimate terroir wine”, Rangen de Thann would be it.

After glory days when it was one of the most sought-after wines at the court of the Habsburg Empress Maria Theresa, visited by Montaigne, name-checked by Rabelais and part-owned by the Sun King (Louis XIV), Rangen fell on hard post-phylloxera times and was actually bombed, mined and destroyed during World War One; Vieux Thann at that point formed part of the front line between German and French Alsace. Less than four hectares at the bottom of the slope were still in vines by the early 1970s. That was all that remained of a wine-making village which in the C17 occupied 500 ha.

Léonard Humbrecht and the Schoffit family were the reclamation pioneers in the 1970s and 1980s.  Laborious work: Alexandre Schoffit remembers his father and grandfather spending every Saturday there throughout his childhood. There were tree roots to remove and walls to remake; the steep slope excluded heavy-duty mechanical assistance and increased the danger level exponentially. “It was ten times worse,” he recalls, “than anything else.” Now, at just over 20 ha, the grand slope is fully planted – but remains a challenge for the owners.

Inter-row ploughing which would take one man half a day in a flat vineyard takes the equivalent of eight weeks to achieve here; the Schoffits say their Rangen holdings account for 33% of their domain, but they spend 60% of their working time there. 

Zind-Humbrecht (Clos St Urbain) and Schoffit (Clos St Théobald) are the two biggest owners, with 5.5 ha and 5.3 ha (increased since than to the current 5.8ha) respectively; then comes the Wolfberger co-operative with 4.4 ha and Bruno Hertz with 1.9 ha. Maurice Schoech has under half a hectare, and there are a number of other smaller owners including the town of Thann itself.

There is no visible soil as such, just rock and stone. Unusually for Alsace, Rangen is constituted of hard volcanic rocks seasoned with some secondary sedimentary material (some of it of volcanic origin).  It’s well-drained, but prone to erosion, and low-vigour – hence the puny yields; but growers say that the clays which do form here down under the rocks and among the roots are high in quality.’

WINE NOTES AND REVIEWS

SPARKLING

NV Cremant d’Alsace
60 % Auxerrois, 20% Pinot Blanc and 20% Pinot Gris, from the 2019 vintage and matured for 3 years on lees sur lattes and disgorged in November 2022. Dry and vinous on the palate and fresh and lively, a perfect aperitif style with very fine and persistent mousse. The exceptional freshness and acidity make this very more-ish.
12.9 % Alc/Vol; 3.3 g/L RS; 7.6 g/L TA.

ESTATE & VILLAGE WINES

2021 Pinot Blanc Auxerrois Vieilles Vignes
From a blend of Pinot Blanc and Auxerrois vines averaging 50-70 yo on gravelly soil covered by loess in the Harth vineyard. Fermentation and aging in stainless steel for 11 months before bottling in August of the following year. Made from yields of around 50 hl/ha this wine has striking purity, medium body and excellent length.
12.6 % Alc/Vol; 2.2 g/L RS: 5.2 g/L TA.

‘Refined at first with charming reduction reminiscent of flint, but with air, it shows a fine mesh with flavors of apricot, Gala apple and almond, with a hint of tangerine zest. Shows lovely balance and good length on the finish.’ 91 points, Wine Enthusiast, January 2023.

2021 Pinot Gris Tradition
From old vines in the Harth lieu-dit close to the family estate in Colmar in gravelly soils covered with light sandy loess. Very expressive aromas in this 2021 vintage due to the wine being left on gross lees for longer than previously. It shows with a very aromatic lift (much more than for the 2020 vintage of this wine) and just a touch of exotic fruit though not to excess with purity and finesse still at the core of this wine. Crystalline pure aromas, exotic and ripe fruit with excellent freshness and just utterly delicious.
13.7 % Alc/Vol; 7.3 g/L RS; 5.6 g/L TA.

2021 Riesling Lieu-Dit Harth Tradition
Very dry wine in 2021 with just 1 g/L residual sugar. From old well established vines in the Harth lieu-dit close to the family estate in Colmar in gravelly soils covered with light sandy loess.
13 % Alc/Vol; 1.1 g/L RS; 6.6 g/L TA.

‘A bright, lively, and characteristically complex Alsace Riesling, this wine exudes intense aromas of citrus and stone fruit, with subtle hints of honey and floral notes. Crisp and refreshing on the palate, with a lovely balance of acidity and fruit. The citrus and stone fruit notes carry through to the palate, with additional flavors of green apple and minerality that give the wine a distinctive character. The finish is long and lingering.’

THE GRAND CRUS - RANGEN

‘Rangen has, in the past, been called “the Montrachet of Alsace”. The varieties and flavours are different, of course, but in other respects the analogy is exact: these great, complete wines are in many ways the apogee of their region, and should be represented in every fine-wine collection.’ Andrew Jefford, Decanter Magazine.

Volcanic upheaval is the name of the game at the steep hillside adjacent to the town of Thann, making it a geological anomaly in the Vosges Mountains. Dotting the eastern slopes of the Vosges Mountains and is notable for more than just its terroir: Rangen is the only site in Alsace to be classified as Grand Cru in its entirety, and is home to the highly respected Clos Saint Urbain and Clos Saint Théobald vineyards (named after local churches which built small chapels on the hillside to enable vineyard workers/worshippers to pray there instead of returning to the churches several times each day).

In Rangen, the altitude climbs higher (1100 to 1525 feet) and the slopes have an average gradient of 60%. It is predominantly planted to Pinot Gris, the variety that accounts for 57%  of vines; Riesling represents about a third of the site while Gewürztraminer is 10%. Despite its southerly aspect, Rangen is late-ripening, mainly due to its higher rainfall and cool winds which also make the site more prone to botrytis and its attendant Sélection Grains Nobles and/or Vendanges Tardives sweet wines. The late-ripening terroir also increases power (and often alcohol) in the wines. Wines from Rangen are often described as having a ‘smoky’ taste.

‘There’s great longevity in these wines, but also a huge capacity to balance everything: alcohol, acidity, residual sweetness,’ says Alexandre Schoffit, who grows Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and Muscat here with his father, Bernard, for the family domaine. ‘There always is balance and always saltiness on the finish.’

‘The ground is very poor,’ says Bernard, ‘The roots have to go deep to find nourishment. This leads to low yields.’

‘Right from the beginning, everything is concentrated,” Alexandre adds. Morning mist also makes part of the Rangen perfect for noble sweet wines. “We have botrytis almost every year, but it’s really clean, pure and intense.’

2020 Schoffit Riesling Grand Cru Rangen - 750 mL only
Riesling makes up 40% of the Schoffit plantings in Rangen and the age of these vines now averages more than 40 years. The 2020 vintage shows tangerine and cumquat notes accented by the flint, smoke and mineral nuances that are a hallmark of the Rangen terroir. It finishes fine and dry with delicate salty edge and exceptional length.
14.5 % Alc/vol; 2.1 g/L RS; 5.5 g/L TA.

2018 Schoffit Riesling Grand Cru Rangen - 1500 mL only
13.9 % Alc/vol; 3.5 g/L RS; 5.5 g/L TA.

‘A truly staggering dry riesling, whose expansive frame is packed with fresh-pineapple, smoky and floral aromas. Gigantic mineral complexity in this simultaneously succulent and subtle package, with an intensely salty finale that focuses to a single point. Only just beginning to give its best! Drink or hold.’ 97 points, Stuart Pigott, JS Wine Ratings, June 2021.

2020 Schoffit Pinot Gris Grand Cru Rangen
Here the smoky minerality once again overlays the varietal fruit and while the wine carries 25 g/L of residual sugar it finishes dry and perfectly balanced. A textbook example of Alsatian Grand Cru Pinot Gris.
14.7 % Alc/vol; 26 g/L RS; 4.3 g/L TA.

2020 Schoffit Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Rangen
Carrying 40 g/L residual sugar and 14% alc/vol this remarkable wine once again carries the terroir clearly at the fore with the smoky aromas from the schist overlaying the varietal intensity. Not heavy or sweet this wine has such remarkable acidity and minerality it had us salivating such was the remarkable balance and freshness. Absolutely remarkable wine.
14.1 % Alc/Vol; 44 g/L RS: 3.6 g/L TA.

VENDANGES TARDIVES from Grand Cru RANGEN

2015 Schoffit Riesling vendanges tardives Grand Cru Rangen
This intense and complex late harvest Riesling beautifully offsets its 63 g/L of residual sugar with plenty of racy acidity, to highlight its depth of flavour and finish with pinpoint balance.
12.3 % Alc/vol; 63 g/L RS; 5.7 g/L TA.

‘The nose is still closed but already gives glimpses of citrus zestiness. The palate is a riot of both fresh and candied peel, think Seville orange, tangerine and Meyer lemon. The zesty freshness of the citrus fruit always has the upper hand on this energetic, exuberant late harvest wine and counters the residual sweetness perfectly. Killer acidity and utter concentration create a magnetic, delicious, age-worthy wine. The finish is off dry and refreshing, with a sweetish glint here and there. Drink 2017–2040 at least.’ 96 points, Anne Krebiehl MW, Wine Enthusiast, December 2017.

2015 Schoffit Pinot Gris Vendanges Tardives Grand Cru Rangen
This remarkable wine finishes with 70 g/L of residual sugar yet finishes almost dry and has such powerful terroir character that drives the wine from start of aromas which hold some smoky fruit notes together with a clear signature of the schist terroir through to the very long finish.
13.3 % Alc/Vol; 71 g/L RS; 5.2 g/L TA.

‘Right now this is still shy on the nose. There is a glint of pear peel and Mirabelle, plus a suggestion of smoke. The palate is equally shy as the principal sensation is that of wonderfully tangy texture, fresh concentrated acidity and balanced sweetness right now. This needs time to develop its undoubtedly rich flavors. The balance is impeccable. Immense power and lasting strength lie at the core of this monumental wine. This is made to last and should be given time in the cellar. Drink 2025–2050.’ 96 points, Anne Krebiehl MW, Wine Enthusiast, Dec 2017.

2018 Schoffit Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives Grand Cru Rangen
‘For a gewurztraminer of this luscious category this has enormous structure, the fine tannins, subtle spice and crushed rock minerality easily mastering the full body and driving the long, creamy and salty finish. With a little aeration a delicate rose-petal aroma develops and the turkish-delight note on the palate is accentuated. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.’ 96 points, Stuart Pigott, JS Wine Ratings, June 2022.
13.6 % Alc/Vol; 88 g/L RS: 3.5 g/L TA.

Vintages NOT yet shipped

2019 Schoffit Pinot Gris Vendanges Tardives Grand Cru Rangen
‘This has so much super-ripe stone-fruit and floral-honey character at the front that it feels like you are bathed in sunlight, but then you step into the wine and it is like entering a cave that extends far under the surface of the earth. Staggering interplay of enormous ripeness with profound crushed-stone character, plus a hint of mushroom. Super-long finish that's straight and strict. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.’ 99 points, Stuart Pigott, JS Wine Ratings, June 2022.

2018 Schoffit Pinot Gris Vendanges Tardives Grand Cru Rangen
‘Very deep nose of quince paste, dried apricot and baking spice with a touch of curry leaf. Decadently luscious and sensual with great concentration, this is a stunning, rich and sweet pinot gris. Very long and complete finish with a touch of licorice and a certain impression of dryness as a result. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.’ 96 points, Stuart Pigott, JS Wine Ratings, June 2022.