Assyrtiko in Alsace: Domaine Albert Mann Experiments for the Future

Antoine Barthelmé, artisan vigneron at Domaine Albert Mann, spoke to OinoWay about the thinking behind the project, climate change, the similarities between Assyrtiko and Riesling, and what they expect from a Mediterranean grape variety when it encounters the granitic soils of Alsace.

How did the idea of planting Assyrtiko in Alsace come about, and what are you hoping to discover through this project?

Our approach to Assyrtiko is, above all, one of exploration and preparation for the future. Climate change is forcing us to think today about which grape varieties might find their place in the Alsatian viticulture of tomorrow. We are not seeking to challenge the great historic grape varieties of Alsace, but rather to explore new possibilities in order to prepare for the future.

What specifically attracted you to Assyrtiko? Which characteristics of the variety do you believe make it particularly interesting for Alsace?

Assyrtiko particularly caught our attention because of its ampelographic identity, but also because of certain characteristics that are reminiscent of Riesling: its great freshness, intensity, high natural acidity, and its ability to produce precise and linear wines. It is also a grape variety that has demonstrated, in its native Greece, a remarkable ability to thrive in warm and dry climatic conditions. For this reason, we found it particularly interesting to see how it might express itself within an Alsatian terroir.

Why did you choose the Grand Cru Schlossberg for this planting?

The choice of Grand Cru Schlossberg was not accidental. It is a place steeped in history, one of the great terroirs that helped shape the reputation of Alsatian wines. Its slopes, exposure, and granitic soils create a particularly interesting environment in which to experiment with this grape variety. There is something truly fascinating about introducing a new variety into such a historic site.

What do you expect Assyrtiko to express at Schlossberg? Do you want it to retain a “Greek” character, or to express the Alsatian terroir more strongly?

Of course, we do not yet know exactly what the Assyrtiko from Schlossberg will produce. And that is precisely what makes the project so interesting. An Assyrtiko grown in Alsace should not try to reproduce one from Santorini or from any other region of Greece. We want to discover what this grape variety can become when it encounters a different climate, different soil, different exposure, and a different viticultural culture. The Alsatian terroir should be able to speak through it.

Do you therefore see this planting more as an experiment, or as a possible direction for the future of viticulture in Alsace?

For us, this planting is both an experiment and a reflection on the future. We want to be pioneers in exploring grape varieties that could adapt to new climatic conditions, while maintaining one fundamental requirement: they must have genuine coherence with our terroirs and with the identity of the great wines of Alsace.

What would you ultimately like the first Assyrtiko from Alsace to express?

We hope that the first wines will be surprising, but above all that they will have something to say about this dialogue between Greece and Alsace, between a Mediterranean grape variety and a historic terroir. If the project succeeds, it could open a new path — not to erase our history, but to allow it to continue being written in the climate of tomorrow.

We would like to sincerely thank Antoine Barthelmé for taking the time to speak with us and for his willingness to share the philosophy and thinking behind this particularly exciting project. We wish him every success with this new project and look forward to seeing how Assyrtiko evolves within the terroir of Alsace in the years to come.