Yann Durrmann
The Durrmann family estate sits on the foothills of the Vosges mountains, in the picturesque village of Andlau, in Alsace. In the 1970s, the estate totaled just 1.5 hectares, and was farmed by Yann’s grandfather, who supplemented the farm’s income by working as a shoemaker. Yann’s father André, upon taking over the farm, gradually increased its size by acquiring more vineyards around Andlau. André transitioned his vineyards to organic farming, and achieved certification in 1998. Today, the Durrmann vineyards include some 30 sites, and are all farmed biodynamically. Since taking over the family business, in 2007 Yann has steered the winemaking in an even more natural direction, and most of the Durrmann cuvées have been made without additives of any kind since then.
The family believes that the quality of their wines comes from their careful farming, and their loving attunement to the differences between their various vineyards. The wines are focused, bright, and harmonious, with intense and expressive concentration. The various cuvées range from playful (like the Grizzling pét-nat) to quite serious (like the Grand Cru Riesling Kastelberg), but the dedication to farming and surehanded winemaking come through in each one.