Kaefferkopf is a named Alsace Grand Cru vineyard and corresponding appellation in the village of Ammerschwihr in Alsace, north-eastern France. It is the most recently promoted – and most controversial – of the Alsace Grand Crus, 51 sites dotted along the eastern slopes of the Vosges Mountains.
(© CIVA)
Kaefferkopf's promotion to Grand Cru status in 2006 was badly received by many in Ammerschwihr's winemaking community, who had rejected the status when it was first offered in 1990. The new appellation laws were forcefully contested in the regional courts by nearly 40 producers with a vested interest in the Kaefferkopf name. The point of contention was the reduction of the land area covered by the new appellation. It excluded 15ha (37 acres) covered by the 1932 Kaefferkopf title, which had been annulled by the creation of the Kaefferkopf Grand Cru. Vines on that land lost their right to the Kaefferkopf name and now have to use the generic Alsace appellation contrôlée instead. (© Proprietary Content, Wine-Searcher.)
The standard rule enforced for Alsace Grand Crus is that they are uniquely varietal wines made from Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris or Muscat. However, the existence of a prior Kaefferkopf appellation meant that the site was added to the very short list of exceptions to this rule. An Alsace Grand Cru Kaefferkopf wine may be made either from a single grape variety (any of those listed above except Muscat) or from a blend of all four. If the wine is a blend, it must be made with a majority of Gewurztraminer (60–80%), Riesling (10–40%), Pinot Gris (up to 30%) and Muscat (up to 10%).
As with almost all of Alsace's great vineyards, the 71 hectare (175 acre) Kaefferkopf site has a complex terroir. The appellation actually covers three distinct hillsides above Ammerschwihr, and is one of very few French titles to have a non-contiguous surface area. The soils are of two key types, divided by the Walbach stream on its course down from the upper Vosges towards the plains, via Ammerschwihr village. The higher, steeper northern section has thin sandstone soils over a granite base, while the shallower slopes of the lower southern section have slightly deeper soils with a greater limestone content. The higher part of the vineyard is known for the richer style of its wines, with the added weight attributed to the granite's heat-retention properties and excellent drainage. The lower section produces slightly lighter, more-elegant styles of wine with higher acidity.
