Kuhlmann-Platz Hunawihr, Alsace, France

KUHLMANN-PLATZ WINE COOPERATION, SINCE 1954.

Alsace after 1945, after the occupation, after the Second World War; the area slowly began to recover.
The Cave Vinicole de Hunawihr was founded in 1954, when a few winemakers put their heads together and realized that they could work together on this recovery. Together they could also take their wine production to a higher level . Blessed with a perfect terroir , the winemakers spent days on end reviving the cultivation and production of wine. During the day they worked on the land, at night they built and renovated the buildings and caves by hand . Today, about 50 years later, Cave Vinicole de Hunawihr consists of 130 members and can be called the wine cooperative rank among the best. The reviewers of 'La Revue de Vind de France' have classified the cave as the number 1 cooperative winery in Alsace, and the number 3 in the whole of France. On average, they produce 2 million bottles per year and have the capacity to process 40,000 hectoliters of grapes at a time. This is done in concrete tanks, stainless steel or oak barrels. The huge investment in suitable cellar equipment makes it possible to let the wines mature and grow in the best conditions.

YOU HAVE GRAPES,... AND YOU HAVE 'PRESS'

Cave Vinicole de Hunawihr is one of the most well-known and successful wine cooperatives in the region. The wines regularly appear in the press with rave reviews and certificates. The well-known French wine guide Bettane & Desseauve describes the wines of Cave Vinicole de Hunawihr as extremely characterful . The quality, they state, is directly related to the quality of the soil, which is composed of a high percentage of limestone layers. Furthermore, the appointment of oenologist Nicolas Garde in 2004 has been of great importance for the quality development. Nicolas tries to make maximum use of the potential of the soil variety.

HUNAWIHR: THE HEART OF GRAND CRU

The vineyards are located in the heart of the Grand Cru area of Alsace, spread over well-known villages such as: Ribeauvillé , Hunawihr , and Riquewihr . The planting of grape varieties consists of: Sylvaner, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc. The majority of the yield comes from growers. They cultivate a total of 200 hectares of Grand Cru wines . The production of Crémant d'Alsace, 12 hectares and AOC wines comes from our own vineyards. The Grand Cru series, classified on five unique soil types, comes from: Rosacker , Froehn , Sporen , Schoenenbourg and Osterberg . The Crémant d'Alsace received a special mention in the Guide Hachette 2010. The higher vineyards on slopes have been able to profit sufficiently from the heat and have good drainage. The flatter parts, on the other hand, have had a much harder time. Fortunately, the harvest of Cave de Hunawihr comes almost exclusively from vineyards on slopes. The quality of the harvest yield is therefore to full satisfaction!

THE VOSGES ARE A MUST

The area has a sheltered location, where the precipitation from the west is stopped by the Vosges. Climatologically, these are perfect conditions for wine growing , because the vines on the slopes can generate maximum use of the sun ; due to the protection of the Vosges, the climate is extremely sunny. The majority of the vineyards are located on a narrow strip halfway on fairly steep slopes with an altitude of 200 - 350 m. above sea level. Due to the humidity from the valley, there is a perfect balance between day and night. In the west, the area borders the Rhine with the German wine region of Baden on the other side.

Kuhlmann-Platz produces mainly white wines, from fresh dry to wines with residual sweetness. We at Dare Wines are proud that we can exclusively import the entire line.