Domaine André Kientzler

The Kientzler family has been growing vines around Ribeauvillé for more than five generations. Dominique Alphonse Kientzler inherited vines from his father and grandfather in 1866, and in 1895 helped found what became France's first winemaking cooperative in the village, running the local grocery shop at the same time. The domaine today is in the hands of Thierry Kientzler.

Fourteen hectares are farmed across Ribeauvillé, Hunawihr and Riquewihr, with holdings in four Grand Cru sites: Kirchberg de Ribeauvillé, Geisberg, Osterberg and a small parcel of Schoenenbourg at Riquewihr, alongside the Muhlforst lieu-dit at Hunawihr. The Geisberg terraces are the jewel, one of Alsace's fifty-one Grand Crus and among its smallest, with only a handful of owners.

The aim in the cellar is purity and mineral definition rather than richness. Ferments run in temperature-controlled stainless steel, some spontaneous and some inoculated, usually without malolactic, and the wines rest in tank on their lees for eight to ten months before bottling. Vines are planted at 5,500 to the hectare and the vineyards have been certified organic since the 2023 vintage. Production is about 5,500 dozen a year.