Rooted in the vineyards of Domaine Martin Schaetzel and transformed under Marc Rinaldi, Domaine Kirrenbourg has emerged as an ambitious name in Alsace. With exceptional holdings in Schlossberg and Brand, biodynamic viticulture and a distinctly terroir-driven approach to winemaking, the estate is attracting increasing critical attention. Its acquisition by GROUPE CAM in 2026 marks another chapter in a story of reinvention, precision and growing collector interest.
Among the producers reshaping perceptions of contemporary Alsace, Domaine Kirrenbourg stands out for the combination of its distinguished vineyard holdings, substantial investment in winemaking and commitment to expressing individual terroirs. Based in Kaysersberg-Vignoble, near Colmar, the estate brings a relatively young identity to vineyards with a considerably longer history.
The modern Domaine Kirrenbourg dates from 2015, when entrepreneur Marc Rinaldi acquired Domaine Martin Schaetzel, an established Alsatian property whose winemaking lineage extends back to at least the early 1930s. Martin Schaetzel had begun estate bottling during that decade, establishing the foundations of a producer subsequently recognised for its work with the region’s traditional grape varieties and Grand Cru vineyards.
Environmental stewardship was already part of the estate’s identity before Rinaldi’s arrival. In 1998, Jean Schaetzel converted the property to organic and biodynamic cultivation, establishing an approach that would become central to Kirrenbourg’s subsequent development.
Rinaldi’s acquisition was followed by considerable investment in the vineyards, cellar facilities and technical team. Initially marketed under the name Martin Schaetzel by Kirrenbourg, the estate adopted the name Domaine Kirrenbourg in 2019. Its first vintage under the new ownership was 2015.
The transformation was not simply a change of label. Rinaldi sought to establish a premium Alsace producer capable of expressing the distinctive geological character of its vineyards through precise viticulture, individual parcel vinification and an increasingly sophisticated portfolio.
An important figure in this development has been Samuel Tottoli, who previously spent approximately 15 years at Kuentz-Bas. His arrival brought substantial regional experience and a strong focus on terroir expression, particularly through Riesling and Pinot Noir.
In June 2026, another ownership transition began when GROUPE CAM acquired both Domaine Kirrenbourg and its sister estate, Domaine Hurst, from Rinaldi. The transaction, signed on 29 June and announced in July, brought the properties under the ownership of an established regional insurance group pursuing long-term diversification.
Under the new structure, Marc Wendling became director general of the two estates, while Tottoli retained a leading operational and technical role as directeur général délégué. GROUPE CAM has emphasised continuity of vineyard practices, personnel and the separate identities of the two domaines.
For Kirrenbourg, this provides an opportunity to consolidate the significant progress achieved during its first decade.
The Vineyards: Schlossberg, Brand and the Importance of Granite
The foundation of Domaine Kirrenbourg’s reputation is its vineyard portfolio, particularly its substantial presence in two of Alsace’s most distinguished granite-based Grands Crus: Schlossberg and Brand.
According to the estate’s new owner in July 2026, Domaine Kirrenbourg comprises approximately 10 hectares, including seven hectares in Schlossberg and two in Brand. Holdings associated with Furstentum and Hengst contribute further geological diversity.
Domaine Hurst, which remains a separate estate, controls an additional 12 hectares. The combined 22-hectare figure sometimes associated with Kirrenbourg therefore refers to the two properties together rather than to Kirrenbourg alone.
Schlossberg: Precision, Acidity and Mineral Tension
Situated above Kaysersberg and Kientzheim, Schlossberg holds a particularly important place in Alsatian wine history. In 1975, it became the first vineyard site to receive Alsace Grand Cru recognition.
The vineyard occupies steep, predominantly south-facing slopes, with terraces extending across an altitude range of approximately 230 to 400 metres. Its granitic geology, exposed sites and cooling air movements from the nearby valley establish conditions particularly well suited to Riesling.
Granite-derived soils, frequently associated with good drainage and relatively limited water retention, encourage careful vineyard management, especially during warm and dry growing seasons. The terraces also create variations in exposure and soil depth that can influence ripening across individual parcels.
For Kirrenbourg, Schlossberg is the estate’s defining terroir. Its Rieslings are associated with citrus and stone-fruit flavours, pronounced acidity, a stony or saline impression and a structured, persistent finish. These characteristics are particularly evident in the Grand Cru bottlings, where richness is balanced by tension and precision.
The estate also produces Schlossberg Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer, demonstrating that the site’s potential extends beyond its reputation for Riesling.
Brand: A Warmer Expression of Granite
The Grand Cru Brand rises above Turckheim, where its generous sunshine and granite-rich soils create a different interpretation of Alsatian terroir.
Recognised as a Grand Cru in 1983, Brand is generally associated with expressive fruit, concentration and a substantial palate. Yet its granite-based soils can also contribute the freshness and structural definition that distinguish the finest wines of the site.
At Kirrenbourg, the contrast between Schlossberg and Brand is particularly instructive.
Schlossberg Riesling tends towards linearity, crystalline acidity and a tightly defined mineral character. Brand Riesling is often broader and more layered, with ripe citrus, yellow fruit and a generous texture.
These are stylistic tendencies rather than rigid rules, but they illustrate the value of comparing different Grands Crus through the work of a single producer.
Kirrenbourg’s involvement with Hengst and Furstentum adds another dimension to its vineyard identity. These holdings provide a contrast to the dominant granite terroirs, although their exact parcel sizes and contributions to individual wines have not been fully disclosed.
Biodynamic Viticulture as a Foundation
Biodynamic cultivation is not a recent addition to Kirrenbourg’s identity. Its roots extend to Jean Schaetzel’s conversion of the original estate in 1998.
The modern domaine continued that commitment, with its first Demeter-certified vintage in 2018. The producer identifies Schlossberg as certified from 2018 and Brand from 2019.
Biodynamic farming emphasises the vineyard as a living agricultural ecosystem, with attention to soil health, biodiversity and the relationship between vine growth and the surrounding environment. Such practices are intended to support balanced vines and healthy soils rather than relying primarily on corrective interventions.
At Kirrenbourg, the philosophy is closely linked to the objective of preserving the differences between individual sites.
This approach is particularly relevant in Alsace, where geological diversity is exceptional and the expression of a single grape variety can change markedly between neighbouring vineyards.
The domaine’s ambition is therefore not simply to produce biodynamic wines, but to use careful vineyard management as the starting point for wines that retain a recognisable sense of origin.
Winemaking: Precision Without Excessive Intervention
Kirrenbourg’s modern cellar reflects an investment-intensive approach to winemaking.
The facility incorporates six double-walled vats and 28 temperature-controlled micro-vats, allowing grapes from different parcels to be vinified separately. This is particularly important for an estate seeking to distinguish the nuances of sites such as Schlossberg and Brand.
For white wines, the producer describes gentle pressing lasting approximately six to ten hours, followed by settling and fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Maturation on the lees contributes texture, complexity and integration.
The objective is to retain the character of the fruit and vineyard while developing sufficient substance and depth.
Rather than relying on an identical maturation regime for every wine, Kirrenbourg employs different vessels according to the requirements of individual cuvées.
This is especially evident in Pinot Noir.
The 2020 Pinot Noir Cuvée Mathieu, for example, was matured using a combination of Nomblot concrete eggs and barrels. Pinot Noir Terroir B from the same vintage was matured entirely in Clayver ceramic vessels, while Jardins des Oiseaux was produced without oak maturation.
Such choices suggest a deliberate effort to manage texture, oxygen exposure and tannin development without imposing an overly uniform barrel signature.
The result is a portfolio in which winemaking techniques are intended to serve the vineyard rather than dominate it.
The Wines of Domaine Kirrenbourg
Kirrenbourg’s portfolio is organised primarily around three levels: Roche Granitique, Terroir and Grand Cru. The structure offers a progression from approachable varietal expressions to more complex, site-specific wines and specialist cuvées.
Riesling: The Estate’s Defining Grape
Riesling provides perhaps the clearest expression of Kirrenbourg’s ambitions.
The Riesling Roche Granitique is an accessible introduction to the domaine’s granite-influenced style. Typically characterised by citrus fruit, freshness and a dry, mineral finish, it offers an opportunity to understand the producer’s general approach without moving directly into Grand Cru pricing.
Riesling Terroir S occupies a more elevated position, combining a finer texture with pronounced citrus freshness and mineral definition. The 2019 vintage impressed wine critic Jamie Goode, who awarded it 95 points in a tasting published in October 2024.
At Grand Cru level, Riesling Schlossberg is one of the domaine’s most important wines. Its appeal lies in the combination of ripe fruit, acidity and structural precision. Goode awarded the 2020 Schlossberg 96 points, highlighting its impressive balance of intensity and tension.
Riesling Grand Cru Brand offers a contrasting expression, generally more expansive and textural while retaining freshness. James Suckling awarded the 2018 vintage 94 points, reflecting the wine’s quality and balance.
At the top of the Schlossberg selection sits Riesling Grand Cru Schlossberg “K”, a premium bottling that emphasises concentration, texture and terroir expression.
The 2018 K received 93 points from James Suckling, while the 2021 earned 94 points and second place in its category at Meininger’s Best of Riesling 2026.
For collectors seeking to understand Kirrenbourg’s Riesling credentials, the comparison between Schlossberg, Brand and Schlossberg K is particularly revealing.
Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris
Although Riesling is central to the domaine’s identity, Kirrenbourg also produces Grand Cru Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris.
Its Gewurztraminer portfolio includes wines associated with Schlossberg, Brand and Hengst, alongside more accessible Roche Granitique and Terroir bottlings.
The most significant recent recognition came with Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Schlossberg 2021, which received a Platinum medal and 97 points at the 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards.
It was the only Alsatian wine to receive Platinum recognition in that year’s competition, an important achievement for a relatively young producer identity.
The award also highlights a less conventional interpretation of Schlossberg, a vineyard more commonly discussed in connection with Riesling.
Kirrenbourg’s Pinot Gris Grand Cru bottlings from Schlossberg and Brand similarly demonstrate the estate’s interest in expressing the influence of granite through varieties capable of considerable aromatic richness and palate weight.
Pinot Noir: An Increasingly Important Ambition
Pinot Noir has become an important part of Kirrenbourg’s stylistic development.
While Alsace has historically been more closely associated with white wines, improving recognition of the region’s potential for serious Pinot Noir has encouraged producers to explore more ambitious red winemaking.
Kirrenbourg’s approach is notable for its differentiation between terroirs and maturation methods.
Pinot Noir Roche Granitique provides an introduction to the estate’s red-wine style, with dark berry fruit, spice and freshness.
Cuvée Mathieu draws on limestone and granite terroirs associated with Brand, Hengst and Schlossberg, offering a more complex, structured expression.
Pinot Noir Terroir B emphasises the characteristics of Brand’s granite and mica soils, with ceramic maturation in the 2020 vintage helping to preserve fruit definition without an overt oak influence.
Jardins des Oiseaux, associated with calcareous-marl soils, provides a different interpretation of Pinot Noir. Its 2020 vintage received 95 points from Jamie Goode, who also awarded Terroir B 2020 94 points.
Across the range, recurring characteristics include ripe cherry and plum, spice, savoury nuances, structured tannins and a persistent mineral or saline impression.
For Burgundy enthusiasts interested in the expanding possibilities of Alsatian Pinot Noir, these wines represent one of Kirrenbourg’s most compelling areas of development.
Special Cuvées and Other Varieties
Beyond its principal wines, Kirrenbourg produces a diverse selection that includes Sylvaner, Muscat, Pinot Blanc and Crémant.
Particularly interesting is Sylvaner Terroir B, sourced from Brand, where the 2020 bottling was reported to come from vines approximately 70 years old. The wine illustrates the ability of mature Sylvaner vineyards to produce distinctive, terroir-expressive wines.
The estate has also explored skin-contact winemaking with Gewurztraminer Les Origines Macérations, adding a more experimental dimension to the portfolio.
At the other end of the stylistic spectrum, Riesling Grand Cru Schlossberg Essencia 2020 represents a concentrated sweet expression of Schlossberg. With an alcohol level of 8.75% in the example reviewed by Jamie Goode, it stands apart from the domaine’s predominantly dry Riesling wines.
Such bottlings demonstrate the breadth of Kirrenbourg’s ambitions, extending from classic Alsatian varieties to specialist wines that explore alternative textures and degrees of sweetness.
Critical Recognition and the Importance of Vintage
Kirrenbourg’s growing reputation has been supported by increasingly positive critical reception.
James Suckling’s assessment of the 2018 Rieslings provides an early indication of the quality achieved across different levels of the range:
WineVintageJames SucklingRiesling Grand Cru Brand201894/100Riesling Grand Cru Schlossberg K201893/100Riesling Roche Granitique201893/100Riesling Terroir S201892/100
The consistency of these scores is notable. It suggests that the domaine’s attention to detail extends beyond its most expensive bottlings.
Subsequent assessments by Jancis Robinson, Vinous, Decanter and other critics have brought further attention to the estate, although not all reviews or numerical ratings are publicly accessible.
The 2026 Decanter Platinum result for Gewurztraminer Schlossberg 2021 and the Meininger recognition of Riesling Schlossberg K 2021 represent particularly important recent milestones.
Vintage conditions remain central to understanding the wines.
2015 marked the beginning of the modern Kirrenbourg era. A hot, dry growing season made balance and acidity important considerations across Alsace.
2017 was characterised by severe spring frost and reduced regional yields, but generally healthy fruit and good acidity. The vintage offers an interesting reference for collectors interested in fresher, more structured expressions.
2018 combined considerable early-season rainfall with a hot, dry summer. The resulting wines often display ripe fruit and richness, balanced by the acidity and mineral structure evident in Kirrenbourg’s Rieslings.
2019 was particularly successful for Alsatian Riesling, with favourable late-season conditions contributing to aromatic complexity and balance. Kirrenbourg’s well-reviewed Terroir S and Brand Rieslings make this an important vintage to explore.
2020 is notable for the depth of the estate’s Pinot Noir portfolio and the use of different maturation vessels. The critical reception of Schlossberg Riesling, Jardins des Oiseaux and Terroir B provides further evidence of quality across varieties.
2021 has become especially significant for the producer because of its award-winning Schlossberg Gewurztraminer and Riesling K bottlings.
For serious collectors, these vintages offer an opportunity to follow the evolution of Kirrenbourg’s winemaking style. Nevertheless, the modern estate has a relatively short track record, and its most ambitious bottlings have not yet established the multi-decade ageing history associated with Alsace’s longest-established names.
Domaine Kirrenbourg in the Fine-Wine Market
Kirrenbourg occupies an interesting position within the Alsace fine-wine landscape.
Its most persuasive attributes are the quality of its vineyard holdings, the scale of investment in its modern facilities, established biodynamic practices, a technically experienced winemaking team and strengthening critical recognition.
Prices also reflect a clear premium positioning.
In October 2026, producer-direct listings placed much of the regular range between approximately €19 and €54 per bottle. More specialised wines commanded considerably higher prices, with Riesling Schlossberg K 2019 listed around €96 and Schlossberg Essencia 2020 around €119.
These figures are retail asking prices rather than verified secondary-market transactions, but they demonstrate how the estate differentiates its premium bottlings from the broader portfolio.
For collectors, the most compelling wines are likely to be the Grand Cru Rieslings, particularly Schlossberg and Schlossberg K, together with distinctive specialist bottlings such as Essencia and the increasingly ambitious Pinot Noirs.
The critically recognised 2021 Gewurztraminer Schlossberg also deserves attention as a landmark wine in the estate’s development.
However, quality recognition should not be confused with an established investment market.
Unlike the most actively traded names of Bordeaux, Burgundy or Champagne, Kirrenbourg does not currently have a readily accessible public record of sustained secondary-market transactions. No producer-specific public Liv-ex performance series or sufficiently established auction history was identified in the available market evidence.
This makes dependable price discovery, liquidity assessment and return forecasting difficult.
Small vineyard holdings may constrain production, but without published annual bottle counts, allocation figures or consistent resale records, scarcity cannot be quantified precisely.
The estate is therefore better understood as an emerging collector proposition than as an established fine-wine investment asset.
For buyers, the distinction matters. Kirrenbourg offers the possibility of acquiring wines from distinguished Alsatian terroirs before the producer has developed a long-standing international collector market. Whether that recognition ultimately translates into sustained resale demand remains to be demonstrated.
The 2026 acquisition by GROUPE CAM adds an element of organisational continuity and long-term ownership intent, but it does not itself establish future price appreciation.
Collecting and Cellaring Domaine Kirrenbourg
The most interesting approach to collecting Kirrenbourg is to focus on terroir, vintage and the evolution of the modern estate.
Schlossberg Riesling provides the strongest reference point for building a vertical collection, with vintages from 2015 onwards offering an opportunity to assess the transition from the early Kirrenbourg period to the more recent wines.
Schlossberg K introduces another dimension, allowing collectors to compare the regular Grand Cru bottling with a more ambitious selection from the same vineyard.
Brand Riesling is particularly useful for comparative tastings, revealing how differences in site and exposure can influence wines made under the same technical philosophy.
The 2017, 2018 and 2019 vintages offer valuable points of comparison, while the award-winning 2021 wines have acquired particular historical significance for the domaine.
Kirrenbourg’s Pinot Noirs may also appeal to collectors interested in the emergence of serious red wines from Alsace. Their differing origins and maturation methods make them rewarding candidates for side-by-side tastings and medium-term cellaring.
Long-term ageing expectations should nonetheless remain measured. The estate’s Grand Cru Rieslings possess structural characteristics associated with ageworthy Alsatian wines, but systematic producer drinking windows and an extensive mature-bottle record are not yet available.
Provenance is another consideration. Early bottles can appear under the names Martin Schaetzel, Martin Schaetzel by Kirrenbourg and Domaine Kirrenbourg. Understanding the chronology is important when comparing vintages, verifying listings or assembling a collection.
As with any fine wine intended for extended cellaring, storage conditions, merchant reputation and continuity of ownership records are essential, particularly for older and higher-priced bottles.
A Producer to Follow in Modern Alsace
Domaine Kirrenbourg represents an ambitious interpretation of what a contemporary Alsace estate can achieve through distinguished vineyard ownership, careful farming and technical precision.
Its identity rests on a compelling combination of established terroir and relatively recent investment. Schlossberg provides the foundation, Brand offers an important contrasting expression, and the developing Pinot Noir range broadens the estate’s relevance beyond traditional Alsatian white wines.
The influence of Samuel Tottoli, the integration of biodynamic cultivation and the emphasis on individual parcel vinification have contributed to a recognisable style: ripe yet structured, textural without excessive weight, and frequently marked by freshness, mineral tension and precision.
For enthusiasts, Kirrenbourg offers a detailed exploration of the relationship between grape variety and terroir. For collectors, it provides a developing body of wines with increasing critical recognition. For investors, its potential remains more speculative, dependent on the establishment of a deeper, more transparent secondary market.
With its acquisition by GROUPE CAM in 2026, the domaine has entered another phase of its development. The quality of its vineyard holdings is already well established; the longer-term test will be how consistently the wines express that potential across future vintages and how enduringly they establish their place among Alsace’s leading producers.