Julien Schaal

Julien Schaal - Grand Cru from Alsace

Julien Schaal is a winery located in Alsace. In 2011, the eponymous founder, together with Olivier Biecher, went in search of individual vineyards with character to have the foundations for Alsatian Grand Cru wines. Today he runs the winery together with his wife Sophie.

The terroir of Julien Schaal's vineyards

The Alsace wine region has a unique combination of great soil types that form a true "kaleidoscope" of geologies. Pink sandstone, blue shale, limestone, granite, gypsum and volcanic rock are among the most interesting soils to be found in the Grand Cru vineyards. In the eyes of Julien Schaal, Riesling is the best variety to convey the special qualities of these soils.

Cellar and vinification at Julien Schaal

The Schaals' winery sits at the foot of the Vosges Mountains, just below Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle. There lies the small village of Saint-Hippolyte.
All grapes are hand-picked, carefully sorted and gently placed in the pneumatic press. A long pressing of at least 12 hours is necessary to extract the best possible juice without over-pressing.

After decantation at low temperature, the juice begins a long alcoholic fermentation by natural yeasts that can last up to 4 months. No sulfur is added before the next spring to allow the wine to open up as much as possible. The result is an aromatic wine with less sensitivity to oxidation.

Schaal's branch in South Africa

In addition to its headquarters in Alsace, the winery operates a branch in South Africa. It dates back to Julien's work in South Africa in the early 2000s. Winemaker Gordon Newton Johnson gave him the jump start to produce a few barrels. The focus was and still is on two grape varieties:

- Syrah
- Chardonnay

Two decades later, the experiment has become a regular outing, Sophie, with her degree from the Bordeaux School of Enology, has been supporting her husband with expertise since 2013. In summer, the two take care of the wine in Alsace, and in February they go to South Africa.