schoffit.html

Introduction

Situated in the southeast region of the town of Colmar, the Rue des Aubepines is not at all easy to find when first visiting the Domaine Schoffit. It is a family estate, where son Bernard Schoffit currently runs most of the business and winemaking, together with his wife Fabienne. Bernard Schoffit is an experience to encounter. Every bit the winegrower that still works his own vineyards and is therefore most seen in a jeans outfit that shows who's doing the work there. He is also an outspoken man, not the least afraid of what others say, self confident and always a pleasure to discuss with. He's among the rather few Colmar winegrowers that succeeded in showing the world what can be done with vastly reducing yields on relatively simple vineyards like the 'Harth', where a lot of his wines come from.

The Schoffits also own a parcel in the famous Rangen de Thann vineyard, giving their range of wines offered a quality boost up since they acquired the parcel in 1986. But Schoffit does not need the choice vineyards only to confirm his reputation as a winemaker. A simple and rarely grown grape variety like the Chasselas performs miracles in his hands as well, the Chasselas cuvee vieilles vignes actually being the wine that made the Domaine wider known in the early nineties.

Tasting impressions

I have here restricted my notes of Schoffit wines to the most recent vintages: 1995 and 1996). In my tasting archive older vintages can be found.

Schoffit's wines are much within the more modern, full blown style with determinable residual sugar. Full bodied, always bright golden in colour, the wines appear as being the maximum product that could be achieved from a vineyard in terms of concentration. This can make the more aromatic wines (Tokay, Gewurztraminer and even the Pinot Blanc) heavy now and then. One should know that Schoffit gives the richer cuvees the addition 'Cuvee Alexandre', while the lighter cuvees go by the name 'Cuvee Caroline'. Both cuvees were named after Bernard and Fabienne's children.

The wines form the Rangen are quite a different matter though. When once asked the question by me if Rangen was maybe the vineyard that managed to overwhelm Bernard's ideas of making wine, he admitted with a grin on his face. Rangen cannot be tamed, not even by Bernard Schoffit. And hence these wines show much more elegance, finesse and complexity (as can and should be expected of a Grand Cru).

In 1997 a small parcel in the Grand Cru Sommerberg was acquired. It is planted entirely with Riesling, and the 1997 vintage will be the first issued under the Schoffit label. When visiting the Domaine twice in 1996 I noted a cuvee prestige made from Harth-grapes that was considerably dryer than then normal Harth cuvee. I had the pleasant suspicion Bernard was here trying his first efforts (on Harth grapes) to cope with the style of Riesling winemaking that the Sommerberg would require in the near future. We will see....

1996 Chasselas Cuvee Caroline VV

1996 Pinot Blanc Cuvee Caroline

1996 Riesling Harth Cuvee Prestige

1996 Riesling Harth Cuvee Caroline

1996 Riesling Rangen

1996 Riesling Rangen VT

1996 Muscat Cuvee Presitige

1996 Tokay Cuvee Caroline

1996 Tokay Cuvee Alexandre

1996 Tokay Rangen

1996 Tokay Rangen SGN

1996 Gewurztraminer Harth Alexandre

1996 Gewurztraminer Rangen

1995 Chasselas Vieilles Vignes

1995 Riesling Harth Cuvee Prestige

1995 Riesling Harth Cuvee Alexandre

1995 Riesling Rangen

1995 Riesling Rangen VT

1995 Muscat Rangen

1995 Tokay Cuvee Alexandre

1995 Tokay Rangen

1995 Tokay Rangen SGN

1995 Gewurztraminer Harth Prestige

1995 Gewurztraminer Rangen VT

1994 Riesling Rangen VT

Vineyard holdings
Vineyard	Status	Area (in ha)	Age of vines (years)
Rangen (Thann)	Grand Cru
Sommerberg (Katzenthal)	Grand Cru
Harth (Colmar)	Lieu dit
Other vineyards	Commune

Grape varieties	Area (ha)
Sylvaner
Pinot Blanc & Auxerrois
Riesling
Geuwurztraminer
Muscat Ottonel
Muscat a Petits Grains
Tokay Pinot Gris
Pinot Noir