Pfersigberg is a Grand Cru vineyard in the historic village of Eguisheim in Alsace, north-eastern France. It is one of the more southerly of the 51 Grand Cru sites dotted along the eastern slopes of the Vosges Mountains.
Pfersigberg is one of four Grand Crus which run in a line just to the south-west of Colmar, the administrative center of the Haut-Rhin department. Eichberg, Steingrubler and Hengst are the other three. Pfersigberg is the third-largest Alsace Grand Cru, covering 185 acres (75ha) immediately to the west of Eguisheim. It is overlooked by the Trois Donjons d'Eguisheim – a trio of towers constructed in 10th–12th centuries by local noblemen. Workers on the plains below have traditionally used the towers as a timepiece, noting the position of their relative shadows to track the progress of the sun.
(© CIVA / Z Vardon)
The Pfersigberg slopes are some of the most gentle in Alsace, rising from 720ft (220m) at their eastern edge to 1020ft (310m) in the west. There is a marked difference between the topography here and the steep, almost unmanageable slopes of Grand Crus sites such as Zinnkoepfle and Rangen. The aspect changes subtly across Pfersigberg, which is actually split into two separate sections; the majority of the slopes enjoy an easterly or south-easterly aspect, while the highest slopes face due south.
The soils of Pfersigberg are predominantly composed of limestone and marlstone, with a higher quantity of clay than is usual this far away from the river basin. This clay reduces the drainage efficiency of the local soils.
Pfersigberg is one of the driest vineyard sites in Alsace (Colmar, nearby, receives less annual rainfall than any other town in France). The climate of the area is of continental type with marked 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 produced from Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris or Muscat.
