Light, fresh and quietly deep
Bright ruby. Strawberry, cherry and a woodland note of forest floor and pine needles. Light-bodied and fresh in the mouth, with fine tannins and a mineral finish.
- strawberry
- cherry
- forest floor
- pine
- Body
- light
- Acidity
- fresh
- Grip
- fine
- Fruit
- red fruit
100% Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is the only red grape allowed in Alsace's appellation wines, so every Alsace red you meet is Pinot. In a cool place like this it stays light and fresh, closer to a Burgundy from a good small grower than to a big southern red.
Infrarouge comes from clay and limestone around Molsheim, the next town north of Rosheim.
Two weeks on the skins, a year in large old casks
- Grown organicallyClay and limestone around Molsheim
- Wild yeastsFermented with the yeasts from the vineyard
- About two weeks on the skinsGentle extraction for colour without weight
- A year in foudre and tankLarge old casks, no new oak taste
- Bottled as it isNo fining, no filtering, very little sulphur
Sophie Kumpf and Julien Albertus
Sophie Kumpf and Philippe Meyer, both children of Alsace winegrowers, put their family vines together in Rosheim in 1997. Philippe later left. In 2010 Julien Albertus arrived, moved the vineyards to organic farming and started making the wines naturally. He knew at eight that he wanted to grow wine, then worked four years at Domaine de la Mordorée in Tavel and at Domaine Zusslin in Alsace, where he fell for natural wine.
Today Sophie and Julien farm about 15 hectares split into 70 small parcels across five villages, on clay and limestone at the foot of the Vosges. Grass grows between the rows, there are no chemical sprays or fertilisers, and in the cellar it is wild yeasts, no fining, no filtering and very little sulphur, often none.
How to serve and pair it
Some pairing ideas
- Roast chicken and mushroomsThe importer's own pairing, earthy wine and earthy dish
- Duck breast with cherriesRed fruit on both sides
- Roast pheasantLight red for small game, as the Norwegian monopoly suggests
- BaeckeoffeAlsace's slow-baked meat and potato pot
If you like this one, try...
Another Pinot Noir guided by Julien Albertus, from a partner grower in his Jeux de vins project.
Hungary's oldest red grape, also light and spicy. A good next step if you like reds you can chill.
Grenache and Syrah from the Roussillon. Riper and spicier, still easy to drink.
More from Kumpf & Meyer
Producer: SCEA Domaine Kumpf et Meyer, 34 route de Rosenwiller, 67560 Rosheim, France