At the start of the Alsace wine route, in the village of Kirchheim, Domaine Bechtold has spent three generations learning the limestone hills of the Couronne d'Or. Today Theo Bechtold, the third generation, runs much of the estate, building on a family commitment to organic and then biodynamic farming.
Backstory
The domaine draws on three generations of family know-how. Theo Bechtold became an associate of the estate in June 2020 and now manages a large share of the work, carrying forward a careful, terroir-first style.
The Region
The estate lies in Kirchheim, in the northern Bas-Rhin, near the Grand Cru Engelberg, a limestone hill known for airy, crisp, and elegant wines. The 12 hectares of vines are scattered across different slopes of the Couronne d'Or, or Crown of Gold.
Vineyards and Farming
Among the 12 hectares, Bechtold holds parcels in Grand Cru Engelberg alongside the Sussenberg, Obere Hund, and Silberberg sites. The vines have been farmed organically since 2007 and biodynamically since 2016, with Demeter certification.
Winemaking
The cellar work aims to let the terroir speak. Wines are matured slowly and released only once they have developed, in the belief that as the vines return to behaving like natural plants, the fruit and the wine both improve.
The Wines
Across the classic Alsatian varieties, Bechtold offers several ranges: terroir wines, Grands Crus, skin-macerated wines, and Cremant d'Alsace. The lineup runs from AOC Alsace and Cremant through Alsace Grand Cru Engelberg to late-harvest and noble-rot selections.
