Leo Dirringer

Dambach la Ville - Alsace

Dambach-la-Ville is an ancient fortified village on the eastern slopes of the Voges in north eastern France. Situated to the north of Colmar, the first recorded mention of the village was in Gallo-Roman times and it has been heavily involved in wine trade since the Middle Ages, even now it's still a popular stop on the modern-day 'Route des vins d'Alsace'.

The 4th generation to farm here, Léo brings a new vision and methodology to his family domaine, Domaine Ruhlmann-Dirringer. Working to maintain sustainability and affordability, he shows that additive-free, non conventional winemaking can be a viable option in this traditionally farmed and historically hallowed enclave.

The domaine covers 14 hectares, planted with sylvaner, gewürztraminer, riesling, pinot blanc, pinot gris, pinot noir, auxerrois and muscat, all certified AB organic.

The vines are grown on sand and gravel, yet most are atop the large swathe of dense granite that flows across the valley, including a parcel of riesling within Dambach-la-ville's famed granite rich Grand Cru Frankstein vineyard.

Léo studied in Montpellier, then went on to Switzerland to study Oenology. It was there that he began to drink the natural wines that would eventually turn his head and heart to dream of a new future for the family estate.

It was in 2017 that Leo persuaded his parents to convert the domaine to organic viticulture, and he began to take over from them at the same time, creating his own range of natural wines alongside the more traditional wines of the estate. He has held firm to his vision of farming and vinification with chemical-free, traditional techniques, all cuvées are wild fermented, unfiltered and are sulphur free.

In Léo's own words he "tries to make fresh, digestible and fluid wines" and we'd have to say he succeeds in doing just that.

E.B.