Melanie Pfister

The Pfister family can look back on more than two centuries of winegrowing history, having officially started its activities in 1780 in Dahlenheim, a small village located a few kilometres west of Strasbourg that can look back on a winegrowing tradition dating back thousands of years. In fact, testimonies point to the importance of Dahlenheim for wine-growing as early as the 9th century A.D. and during the Middle Ages, when the village became a wine-growing hub. Today, the management of the Domaine is in the hands of the eighth generation of the family, represented by the young Mélanie, who took over the reins of the Domaine in 2008 after completing her studies in agricultural engineering and oenology between Bordeaux and Burgundy. This talented winemaker can boast experience with prestigious wineries such as Zind-Humbrecht, Méo-Camuzet, Cheval Blanc and d'Yquem. In addition, Mélanie is a member of the association 'Les DiVINes d'Alsace', which brings together women winemakers in the region.

The Domaine Melanie Pfister consists of 10 hectares of vineyards, 9 of which are reserved for traditional white grape varieties such as Riesling, Pinot Gris (which is actually a grey grape), Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Blanc and Auxerrois, and the remaining hectare for Pinot Noir, practically the only black grape variety widespread in Alsace. The vines, tended according to organic farming principles and supplemented from 2021 with biodynamic practices, benefit from the cool climate of northern Alsace and the steep limestone slopes where they are grown. The harvests are carried out by hand and the subsequent spontaneous fermentations take place in steel, as do the maturations, with the whites undergoing long layovers on fine lees.

Those of the Melanie Pfister cellar are bottles of excellent quality characterised by remarkable expressive purity and a vibrant mineral vein, capable of conveying the essence of the noble terroir behind them. The white wines display an important structure and great finesse, while the Crémants are at the top of the AOC by virtue of their fragrance and soaring freshness.