I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; there’s almost nothing quite as much fun as discovering a new, high quality producer completely by accident. When you spend your days reading, studying and writing about wine as well as giving tastings and classes, you learn a lot about producers you’ve never actually tasted, which means that it’s quite hard to be taken be surprise. So, to stumble blindly upon a producer like Domaine Schoffit, from a region as high-profile as Alsace no less, is a lovely moment. I was picking up some wine from Cuvee 3000, one of Barcelona’s largest and most impressive distributors, when I decided to pick up a bottle of Gewurztraminer on a whim. Schoffit’s Cuvee Alexandre Harth 2014 was reasonably priced and I thought it would make a nice pairing with the Asian food we were cooking later. That Gewurztraminer is my fiance’s favourite variety was a plus as well!

Well, needless to say I was quite taken with the bottle. Gewurztraminer has a tendency towards low acidity, high sugars and often quite a bit of flabbiness on the palate. Particularly as the vintages get warmer over the years, I’ve tasted more than a few Gewurztraminer based wines that are not only sweet, but highly alcoholic, bitter and just not very fun to drink. Comparatively, Cuvee Alexandre was just as aromatic and engaging, yet had very fine acidity, balancing the small amount of residual sugar and creating a wonderful tension between the two. Couple that with a smoky, honeyed finish and my attention was piqued! I went back to the shop the next day and chose a selection of different wines to try.

So, who are Domaine Schoffit? There’s not a lot of information about them online, and I had to ask around quite a bit before I got a better picture. Domaine Schoffit is into its second generation now, originally started by Robert Schoffit and now in the very capable hands of his son, Bernard. Based near Colmar in Alsace, the switch in ownership signalled quite a change in style, with Bernard taking a huge bet on 6.5 hectares of land on the famous Rangen de Thann Grand Cru. The vineyards in question had been abandoned long before, with the steep slopes deemed too difficult to work for little return. Looking at the slopes in question, it’s easy to see why it wouldn’t be worth your while unless you could command a premium for the resulting wines. Fortunately for us, Bernard turned out to be the tenacious, thoughtful wine-maker needed to bring out the best in this inhospitable site.

In addition, Bernard has a small 1 hectare plot on the Sommerberg Grand Cru to the north and a larger plot of land called Harth, north-east of their base in Colmar. Low yields are the order of the day, followed by gentle, traditional wine making practices. Apparently the wines from the 80s to the 90s were quite heavy and sweet, but the 4 wines I tried were anything but. In fact, the one stylistic trend running through them all was fine, refreshing acidity, regardless of the variety in the bottle. I’m quite smitten with the wines and I shall try to organise a tasting in the near future, as I think these are some of the better Alsatian wines I’ve had the pleasure of drinking and I’d love to share the experience. I haven’t yet tried Clos Saint-Theobald Grand Cru Riesling, their flagship wine from a small enclosure within Rangen de Thann Grand Cru, but I shall hunting a bottle down soon!

Schoffit Cuvee Alexandre Gewurztraminer ‘Harth’ Vieilles Vignes 2014
100% Gewurztraminer from Harth, a sandy plot of land north-east of Colmar, from 50 year old vines. Fermented in stainless steel. 13.2% ABV, 55g/l residual sugar.

The wine that captured my attention, and what a lovely Gewurztraminer it is. Very ripe peach, apricot and lychee mingles with the characteristic rose petals, raw honey and that touch of dark, smokiness that top quality Gewurztraminer can showcase. Medium-dry with significant residual sugar, but what acidity to balance it out. Mouth-coating and rich but not cloying at all; there’s wonderful tension here. I’m not used to drinking Gewurztraminer with such energy. 93Pts

Purchased from Cuvee 3000 for €18.55

Schoffit Rangen de Thann Clos Saint-Theobald Grand Cru Pinot Gris 2010
100% Pinot Gris from their monopole within the Rangen Grand Cru, from vines on volcanic soil on incredibly steep slopes. Fermented in stainless steel and aged for 12 months in old French oak. 13.3% ABV, 29g/l residual sugar.

A touch of colour from the time spent in oak, but still quite vibrant and youthful. Moderately aromatic but full of deep, spice inflected stone fruits; ripe golden apples, peach and melon. There’s a smoky, yeasty quality to the wine and whatever oak has been used is very nicely integrated. Again, thanks to the tangy acidity, this tastes off-dry despite the reasonable amount of residual sugar, with real weight and depth on the palate. Still very primary and lacking a bit of complexity, but full of the same melon fruit and subtle spices as the nose. A long way to go with this wine yet. 92Pts

Purchased from Cuvee 3000 for €36.80

Schoffit Cuvee Caroline ‘Harth’ Riesling 2000
100% Riesling from Harth, a sandy plot of land north-east of Colmar. Fermented in stainless steel and left to rest on its lees for 3-4 months. 12.5 % ABV, 21g/l residual sugar.

A lovely deep gold colour but slightly faded on the nose. Lemon-curd, dried peach, apricot, hay and honey drift out slowly, but this feels a bit past its best. Off-dry, soft and quite round, this is still pretty pleasurable stuff but its best days are certainly past it. I suspect it was lovely 5-8 years ago! 88Pts

Purchased from Cuvee 3000 for €15.10

Schoffit Sommerberg Grand Cru Riesling 2000
100% Riesling from Sommerberg Grand Cru, a gentle slope over granitic soils. Fermented partly in stainless steel and partly in large, old oak barrels. 12.5% ABV, unknown residual sugar.

This doesn’t look like an 18 year old wine, with a still vibrant, medium-gold colour and it certainly doesn’t smell like an 18 year old wine, either! Kaffir lime, ripe white peach, bay leaves, dried honeysuckle and chalk tumble over one another, changing in intensity as the wine aerates. Off-dry and still no fresh and youthful on the palate; this is wonderful stuff! Soft and complete, yet refreshing at the same time. Hugely understated and I love it. At 21 euros a bottle, everyone who likes good wine in Barcelona should form an orderly queue until it’s all gone. 95Pts

Purchased from Cuvee 3000 for €21.35