Brand is an Alsace Grand Cru vineyard and corresponding appellation overlooking the historic village of Turckheim, in the Haut-Rhin department. It is one of 51 Grand Cru vineyards dotted along the eastern slopes of the Vosges mountains. Brand sits in a cluster of five sites, including Florimont, Sommerberg, Wineck-Schlossberg and Kaefferkopf, 4 miles (7km) to the west of the region's wine capital of Colmar.
One of the larger Alsace Grand Crus, the Brand vineyard covers nearly 58 hectares (143 acres) of steep slopes at the beginning of the Vallée de Munster. Split into two sections, with a subtle depression running right down the center, the site's general aspect is south/southeasterly, bringing the vines excellent exposure to the sun. This shape and aspect mean there is a certain degree of wind shelter, adding to the strong protection already provided by the Vosges. That said, with its location at the mouth of the Vallée de Munster, Brand is more susceptible to westerly winds than its grand cru counterparts Hengst and Steingrubler located just across the valley to the south.
©Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins d'Alsace (CIVA)
Brand is one of the driest vineyard sites in Alsace (nearby Colmar receives less annual rainfall than any other town in France), with its low precipitation helped by the rain shadow cast by the Vosges mountains. Indeed, the name Brand means "fire" in German and stems from the dry mesoclimate.
The slopes of the Brand vineyard rise rapidly from 853 to 1181ft (260 to 360m), becoming gradually steeper towards the top. Granite is at the core of the hillside, although the topsoils are a complex, sandy mix of loose sandstone, granite and marlstone. The variation is visible over just a few meters and is the result of glacial activity in the area during the last ice age. This variation increases on the lower slopes and the ledges formed by the vineyard's frequent terraces. At the very foot of the site are vineyards bearing two of Alsace's more-famous names – Clos Jebsal and Herrenweg – both owned by Domaine Zind-Humbrecht.
The wines of Brand are known for their finesse, subtlety, fruit and balance. Riesling and Gewürztraminer are the most widely planted grape varieties, closely followed by Pinot Gris and a small quantity of Muscat. Viticulture has been present in and around the commune of Turckheim since Roman times and was first recorded in historical documents as far back as 1328.
Aside from Domaine Zind-Humbrecht, other notable Brand producers include Domaine Armand Hurst, Albert Boxler, Kuentz-Bas and Josmeyer.
