Jean-Marc Dreyer

Rosheim - Alsace

Jean-Marc was the last wine maker we visited on a little tour of the Alsace a couple of years ago. He had cropped up in conversation repeatedly (over choucroutes and thick breadcrumbed pork chops) and as we were driving right past it seemed silly not to stop. Rosheim is a walled village a little south of Strasbourg and Jean-Marc lives just outside the fortifications. It was mid October and he was still harvesting but took time to taste everything with us despite that; and so, we left with a car full of wine and a huge sack of his legendary potatoes.

Following Alsatian tradition Jean-Marc stepped into his father's shoes to make wine and has been working biodynamically since 2003. Unusually for the Alsace many of his whites involve skin maceration - often done in skips covered with tarpaulins in front of the house before being transferred to tanks and then oak for at least a year. These remain aromatic, fresh and very true experssions of the grape. Not only are his wines absolutely delicious but he also happens to be one of the nicest people we have met.

H.L. 2017