Vignoble Klur Clement

The Klurs have not made history in the realm of Alsatian wine. The Klurs do not travel the world to passionately promote their wines. The Klurs humbly and sincerely do what the family has always done: make the best Alsatian wine that our terroir will allow and offer a warm welcome to their visitors.

Vines cultivated organically and biodynamically

Terroir. The uniqueness of Katzenthal is that it lies on a geologic fault that is 500 millions of years old. Their parcels of Wineck-Schlossberg and Steinacker are planted on two-mica granite, originating from the mother rock of the Vosges massif, at the head of the village and about 600 meters from the Vosges fault which is composed of alternating sedimentary soils like clay-limestone, mussel chalk (fossil-rich limestone), and the marl (lime-rich mud) at the base of the Hinterburg. Recognizing the value of these unique features, their ancestors chose to establish certain grape varieties on the heights and others at the head of the village so that each variety of subsoil and soil can best express itself in the grapes.

Organic farming. This relation between terroir and wine continues in the permanent care of the vines and the soils: they plant cover crops and till under the soil. For years they have used no treatments or synthetic fertilizer and they have developed a biodynamic compost in a partnership with other vignerons. They prepare infusions from nettles, horsetails, and willows for treating the vines; they respect the sowing schedule for working the soil and applying the biodynamic preparations to the vines. For maintaining biodiversity in a landscape which tends to favor monoculture, they are preserving their stone walls and hedges and planting fruit trees. All of these practices provide a refuge for numerous species whose utility is to maintain an equilibrium among the vines. They are trying to understand the functions of each component and to make the best judgment at the best moment.

Manual harvest. Almost all of their parcels are on hillsides, with some slopes attaining a 40% grade. All work is done manually and demands a real passion for the vine, without which these efforts would be difficult to accept. Their grape vines are on average 35 years old but in some parcels they have 55-60 year-old vines (their selection of “vieilles vignes” ). The grape harvests are manuel and convivial. For two to three weeks, by stages, their grapes are gathered in 1, 2, 3 passages for each parcel and/or by variety, at the height of their maturity.

Klur winery. The Klur vineyards originated from a long family tradition but have been dedicated to organic production since 1999. Today, we have 7 hectares of vines in 20 parcels located in Katzenthal mostly on granite soil, but also on clay-limestone soils. The Klur wines are considered to be characteristic, very personal, bearing the stamp of a certain type of Alsatian wine; clean, yet elegant, dry and fruity.

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