PRODUCER: Amélie & Charles Sparr
REGION: Alsace, France
WINEMAKERS: Amélie & Charles Sparr
WINERY HISTORY
Amélie and Charles Sparr are among the most exciting names in modern Alsace. Alsatian by birth, the couple come from deep-rooted winemaking families, with Charles representing a 12th-generation legacy dating back to 1634.
After studying oenology and marketing at the University of Beaune, Charles broadened his horizons with spells in California and at Richmond Plains, one of the pioneers of biodynamic viticulture on New Zealand’s South Island. Amélie was also born and raised in Alsace, the seventh generation of a winemaking family at Domaine Buecher-Fix in Wettolsheim. Following technical studies and internships at Domaine Zind-Humbrecht and Château de Pommard, she graduated with a master’s in international wine trade.
The couple met at a wine fair in 2010, fell in love and began working together, bringing together vineyards from both families. Charles had been drawn to organic and biodynamic viticulture since the beginning of his studies, learning from his travels and experience at leading biodynamic estates, as well as from Amélie’s parents, who had farmed their Buecher-Fix estate organically since 1997 and biodynamically since 2003.
In 2017, they officially launched their own domaine, uniting inherited terroirs, biodynamic conviction and a distinctly modern vision for Alsace.
VITICULTURE & WINEMAKING
Today, the Sparrs farm 20 hectares biodynamically across some of the finest slopes and higher-altitude sites around Wettolsheim and Sigolsheim, including four Grand Cru parcels. Working across a mosaic of marl, limestone and granite soils, they cultivate their vineyards with a profound respect for biodiversity: planting trees, encouraging natural balance and following lunar cycles as part of their holistic approach.
The vines are pruned severely in December to encourage moderate-to-low yields. During the growing season, the vineyards are ploughed three times, mostly by horse: first in late October, again in April or May, and finally, superficially, during flowering. Natural cover crops between the rows are maintained for much of the year to prevent erosion, moderate vigour and support vineyard health. Green harvesting, debudding and leaf thinning are carried out throughout the season to achieve an optimal balance between yield and concentration.
Treatments are kept to an absolute minimum—six to seven applications a year—to limit the build-up of copper and sulphur in the soil. Charles and Amélie also use biodynamic herbal teas, allowing a significant reduction in copper and sulphur use.
Grapes are hand-harvested, with picking dates chosen to preserve tension and acidity in the wines.
In the cellar, the philosophy remains equally restrained. For the white wines, long, gentle whole-bunch pressing is followed by fermentation with native yeasts. The must is protected from oxidation with dry ice rather than sulphur, which is used only in minimal amounts at bottling. Malolactic fermentation occurs naturally, and the wines are aged in large, neutral Austrian Stockinger foudres and stainless-steel tanks to preserve their clarity and finesse.
The result is a beautifully refined style of Alsace wine: dry, finely textured, and intensely expressive, with crystalline acidity and a strong mineral drive. Their wines move confidently beyond outdated notions of sweetness, instead offering a chiselled, elegant interpretation of the region’s aromatic potential. Highlights include the supple and vibrant Pinot Blanc 'Pensée', the electric and moreish estate Riesling 'Sentiment', the age-worthy and layered 'Altenbourg', the powerful Grand Cru Schoenenbourg 'Révélation', and the lithe, silky Pinot Noir 'Carpe Diem'.
GRAPE VARIETIES
Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Auxerrois, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
