Kanzlerberg is a named vineyard of the Alsace Grand Cru appellation in the commune of Ribeauville, in Alsace, north-eastern France. It is one of a group of three Grand Cru vineyards perched on steep south-facing hillsides between the villages of Bergheim and Saint-Hippolyte at the northern end of the Haut-Rhin department (effectively the southern half of Alsace).
Kanzlerberg is the most southerly of these and the smallest, dwarfed by the prestigious Altenberg de Bergheim site on the hillside just above it. At just 7.9 acres (3.2ha) it is, in fact, the smallest of all 51 Alsace Grand Crus. Only two producers currently make wines from Kanzlerberg: Sylvie Speilmann and Gustave Lorenz, both of whom also own plots in Altenberg.
(© CIVA)
Kanzlerberg is located at an altitude of 820ft (250m), on a shallow slope facing due south. This position means that the grapes benefit from full sunshine throughout the growing season, resulting in complex, richly flavored wines.
The bedrock beneath Kanzlerberg is composed of dense limestone formed in the Jurassic period, more than 150 million years ago. This is covered with heavy clay, a soil type not commonly found on Alsace Grand Cru sites – or on Grand Cru vineyards elsewhere, for that matter. There is also a significant presence of gypsum here (the vines are planted close to a gypsum mine founded by Sylvie Spielmann's ancestor, Sebastien), adding to the unusual terroir. Both of these elements improve the water-retention properties of the land – a sometimes-valuable asset in Alsace's characteristically dry climate.
The climate throughout Alsace is of continental type with particularly low rainfall – a result of the rain shadow cast by the Vosges. The mountains also provide protection from the prevailing westerly winds, making the Alsatian summer one of the driest and warmest in the northern half of France. At the other end of the temperature scale, the winters here are cold; it is not uncommon to see Alsace vineyards lined with snow.
Apart from a few notable exceptions, all Alsace Grand Cru wines are varietals and may be made from Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris or Muscat. Kanzlerberg is planted with a mix of the three major varieties, but very little Muscat; this is not unusual for an Alsace Grand Cru vineyard.
