Alsatian Pinot Gris is an entirely different breed to the New Zealand versions of the pink-skinned grape that have captured so much attention in the past few years. While some of our local offerings can perhaps hint at the delights on offer from Alsace, the home of the grape, it is producers like Willy Gisselbrecht who know how to deliver the complexity and astounding richness that the grape can attain. He has a bit of an advantage; his family have made wine in Alsace since the 1600s: they know their 17 hectares intimately. Great Alsatian aromatics, like the wines Gisselbrecht produce tend to be thickly textured expressions of their respective grape varieties. A thrilling meeting of honeyed richness and flinty minerality, a result of the unique terroir and the attention to detail that only centuries of tradition can deliver.

Philippe Gisselbrecht is the winemaker behind the family estate at Gisselbrecht in Dambach-la-Ville, representing the latest generation of a family making Alsace wine since the 17th century. He works closely with his brother, Claude Gisselbrecht, overseeing vineyards that include prized sites on granite-rich slopes and Grand Cru parcels such as Frankstein and Muenchberg. With foundational training in Burgundy and a deep understanding of Alsace terroir, Philippe excels at matching grape varieties to the best soils and crafting small parcellaire lots that reflect site distinctiveness. Under his guidance, the domaine produces a range of classic Alsace wines and small-batch micro-cuves that combine aromatic precision, textural richness and a true sense of place.