Catherine Riss, who has just turned 30, is one of the Winemakers who count in "Alsace Nature".
The genesis of the story
In Alsace (as elsewhere) becoming Winemaker is a complicated gamble when you come from a family without Winery. With parents who were restaurant owners, Catherine Riss was supposed to continue in this direction and take over the restaurant. But this was without counting on her temperament and her marked interest in the vineyards that are omnipresent in the region. After a BTS in wine, a diploma in oenology and some professional experience, Catherine Riss was hired by Michel Chapoutier to look after a Winery acquired in Alsace at Reichsfeld.
Installation in Mittelbergheim
But Catherine wants to fly on her own and create her Winery. Her personal adventure begins in 2012 on 1.3 hectares of land thanks to the precious help ofAntoine KreydenweissThe company is owned by Andlau ( winemaker ) and Lucas Rieffel (with whom she works until 2014). In 2015 she moves to her own premises in Mittelbergheim.
The Winery today
Catherine Riss now works on almost 3 hectares and works like his neighbours and friends, Antoine Kreydenweiss and Patrick Meyer : naturally! In order to make natural wine, the choice of organic wine has become obvious, Catherine is therefore AB certified. Her work in the vineyard is from the beginning oriented towards organic agriculture and obtains her certification in 2015. Precise, hard-working, Catherine seeks above all the mineral extraction and the dry balance of her wines. It is a remarkable work in the vineyards and an increasingly biodynamic approach that gives her wines an astonishing typicity, fruitiness, balance and incredible minerality. What a know-how!
The range of wines
Catherine is working on a small Winery so few bottles ! Allowances are precious and there is no wine all year round! "Dessous de Table" is her Alsace, a blend of pinot blanc (mainly), sylvaner and gewurztraminer. "De Grès ou de Force" is the cuvée of Riesling, pure, straight and well mineral. "Empreinte" is the pinot noir of Winery, worthy of a great burgundy. and finally, "T'as pas du Schiste", a confidential cuvée of pinot noir on schist. Exceptional !
ALL RISS CATHERINE WINES are HERE
