Clos Saint Landelin is one of Alsace's famous clos vineyards. Located in the village of Rouffach, in the south of Alsace, the 37.5-acre (15-ha) Clos Saint Landelin is a monopole of the Mure family. The site has been a vineyard since the eighth century, when it belonged to the influential Bishop of Strasbourg. The Bishop bequeathed the site to the monks of Saint-Landelin abbey and it remained in their tenure until 1935, when it was purchased by the Mures.
The walled (clos) vineyard is situated at the southern end of the Vorbourg Grand Cru site, just south-west of Rouffach, meaning that it qualifies for the Alsace Grand Cru title. Its wines may therefore bear the Vorbourg name in addition to that of the clos. Its south-facing slopes are cultivated in linear terraces to aid with soil retention and general vineyard management. The topsoils here are predominantly clay and limestone with a high stone content, while the lower soil strata are composed of harder calcareous sandstone.
The site produces not only white varietal wines made from Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris or Muscat, but also red wines made from Pinot Noir. Although Pinot Noir represents 10% (and rising) of Alsace's vine plantings, it is not permitted under the current Alsace Grand Cru appellation laws. Red Clos Saint Landelin wine does not therefore qualify as Grand Cru and must be sold under the regional Alsace appellation. Despite this less-prestigious appellation title, the Pinot Noir from this site is significantly more expensive than its dry white wines. The Gewurztraminer and Pinot Noir vines grown here are also used to produce two Marcs d'Alsace.
The most-prestigious cuvees from the Clos Saint Landelin are the sweet Selection des Grains Nobles. The reason for the excellence of these wines is the vineyard's location on the lower southern slopes of the Strangenberg hill. Firstly, the soils are dominated by free-draining limestone with a hint of clay in places. This forces the vines to grow deep, strong root systems and is said to add a certain minerality to the wines. Even more significant for the development of these sweet wines is the presence of the Ohmbach river immediately below the clos. The river veers north around the base of the Strangenberg, creating a moist environment in which autumn mists develop – promoting the development of Botrytis cinerea. The southern aspect also means that the vines benefit from high exposure to the sun throughout the day and reach optimal levels of ripeness.
