Alsace

Receiving an email from Agathe Bursin, or indeed a letter, is always delightful. It is written so poetically.

Agathe Bursin knows what she wants. Dynamic, she loves her Alsace region.

She is a native of Westhalten, a small village located less than 15 kilometres south of Colmar, at the extreme south of Alsace, and where her family roots date back to the middle of the 17th century. At the village school, Agathe was the only girl in her class. The boys all dreamt of driving a tractor in the vineyards, and so did she. 

The little girl grew up in a family of winegrowers. She clearly remembers walking around the vineyards with her grandfather, who gave her the love for the terroir, and who instilled in her the love of wine growing. In the kitchen, her grandmother encouraged her to smell wine, letting her detect the aromas. All these childhood experiences have contributed to Agathe’s current passion for flavours and fragrances. Gradually, she became involved with the tasks related to the vineyards and to the cellar.

In 1994, Agathe naturally went to study viticulture in Mâcon. Four years later, she graduated in oenology from Dijon university, and in 1999 she secured her Post Graduate Diploma in Law, specialising in viticulture and wine at the university of Suze la Rousse in Provence. Meanwhile she had gained experience at the INRA Research Institute in Colmar, and at Domaine Clusel-Roch in Ampuis, in the Rhône Valley, to name but a few.

In 2001, she returned to Westhalten, where she had inherited three hectares of old vines from her grandfather. Straight off, she farmed as naturally as possible. Her holdings grew to six hectares spread over 38 tiny parcels planted with traditional varieties:  Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner, Muscat, and Pinot Noir. They are located above her village, on the revered sites of Strangenberg, Dirstelberg, Bollenberg, and Grand Cru Zinnkoepflé, perched at an altitude of 350 meters, and where the micro-climate is Mediterranean-like. 

Agathe Bursin’s attention to detail is the defining characteristic of both her viticulture and her vinification. All meticulous aspects of the vineyard tasks are almost entirely manual and undertaken with the significant assistance of her parents, and Vizir, the neighbour’s horse who helps to plough the steepest parcels.

The profound respect for her soils, her various terroirs and her vines, averaging 40 years old, is reflected in her wines which express energy and purity. She devotes a lot of her time to nurturing her healthy vines, while preserving the eco-system. At the same time, she follows biodynamic principles using herbal concoctions as remedies. In fact, her vineyards are wildlife natural reserves, from rabbits to birds nesting, bees, and to rare hoopoes who, build their nests in the stone walls surrounding her vineyards. Agathe also keeps a close eye on the insects. She considers that they have a major role in preserving the soil’s life, and therefore she has built what she calls 'insect hotels' in some of her parcels. 

When the hand-picked healthy grapes reach the cellar, they are carefully handled and the interaction is minimal until the wines are ready for ageing in a mix of stainless steel and large oak vats or foudres,  although her Pinot Noir is aged in barrels received from Domaine Ramonet in Burgundy.

  

Agathe is always looking to craft wines with elegance, complexity and precision. Her production is small, and in fact her cellar is often compared to a ‘doll’s house’. All her whites are magnificent and richly aromatic. They offer exquisite clean fruit along with delicate spices, and good acidity. The two cuvées of Pinot Noir are complex and would fool many a Burgundy lover.

A talkative and lively lady, she enjoys sharing her deep knowledge, in schools with the little ones, as well as in universities, and in wine clubs. Agathe Bursin is undoubtedly skilful and the reputation of her domaine far exceeds the scale of its operation. When in Dublin, she is loved by everyone. Her charm is seductive. She is a marvellous ambassador for Alsace, and her passion is infectious.


Profile © Françoise and Seán Gilley

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