Marckrain is an Alsace Grand Cru vineyard and corresponding appellation in the commune of Bennwihr in Alsace, north-eastern France. Covering roughly 131 acres (53ha), it is one of the largest of Alsace's 51 Grand Cru sites.
Marckrain is one of a quartet of Grand Crus located on the northern slopes of the Weisbach valley at the heart of Alsace. Schlossberg, Furstentum and Mambourg are the other three in this group. They are significant because of the degree to which their south-facing slopes extend out onto the plains north of Colmar.
The majority of Alsace's Grand Cru sites closely hug the lower slopes of the Vosges, away from the over-fertile soils of the alluvial plains. As such, they are generally restricted either to the occasional south-east-facing slopes, or to south-facing slopes on finger-like promontories. The unbroken south-facing slope which runs west–east for three miles (4.8km) from Kayserberg to Bennwihr is therefore something of an exception. The ridge stands so prominently over the landscape that it has long been the chosen location for watch towers and fortresses. Today it is the site of the international Sigolsheim WW2 memorial and French national cemetery. Marckrain is located at the very eastern apex of this slope, known as the Blutberg ('Hill of Blood') and as Hill 216.
The Marckrain slopes rise steadily from 690 to 1150ft (210–350m). They have a south-easterly aspect, so the vines enjoy the gentle ripening effects of morning sunshine but are spared the harsher rays of the late afternoon. The soils are composed of a rough mixture of limestone and marlstone, mixed in with granitic, magnesium-rich sand.
The climate of the area is of continental type, with particularly low rainfall resulting from 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 produced from Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris or Muscat. Mambourg has each of these planted, although Gewurztraminer is the variety best suited to the site.
