Established: 2018

Appellations: AOC Alsace

Proprietor: Paul Fuchs, Jérôme Mader, Eric Kientzler

Winemaker: Paul Fuchs, Jérôme Mader, Eric Kientzler

Wine Making Overview: All grapes are hand harvested, all whole bunch pressed, natural yeast ferments in stainless and aged on fine lees for 6-8 months before bottling with light filtration.

Average Production: 3000 bottles

Viticulture: Sustainable

Vegan Friendly: yes

Vineyard Area: tiny

Vineyards: Hunawihr and Ribeauvillé

Vine age (average): 30 years old.

 
 

Jérome Mader, Eric Kientzler and Paul Fuchs launching their Super Felsa Spranger Riesling outside Le Goupil Wine Bar in Ribeauvillé, Alsace.

“The three winemakers agree that at least 1/3 of the wine is good!”
— Paul Fuchs, Jérôme Mader, Eric Kientzler

JÉROME MADER AND ERIC KIENTZLER TASTING A COUPLE OF THEIR WINES IN THE VINEYARD (AND HAVING A BIT OF FUN WHILE DOING IT).

Felsaspranger [rock splitter]: Alsatian for a dry and sharp wine.

Three childhood friends, now at the head of each family's domain decided to combine a batch of each of their wines and see where it took them. Paul Fuchs, Jérôme Mader and Eric Kientzler are the Drei Manner Wie (three like men) who are still avid wine lovers at heart, despite the pressures of running the family business.

The genesis for Super Felsa Spranger actually occurred a few years ago on a trip to Australia when Eric and Jérôme were inspired by the creative labels they encountered. Back home in Alsace they hooked up with their old friend Paul and took a colloquial saying from the local Alsatian dialect and turned it, tongue-in-cheek, into a wine brand. All they needed now was some wine.

So in vintage 2018 they each contributed a parcel of fruit and the Super Felsa Spranger was born. Far from the implications of the name and the label image, the wine itself is no 'battery-acid-and-water' Riesling. Indeed, with the fruit coming from classic marl and limestone terroirs it is a seriously good, traditional Alsatian Riesling.

2020 Fuchs Mader Kientzler Riesling Super Felsa Spranger (Stelvin)
13.25% Alc/vol; 3.4g/l RS; 6.9g/l TA

Preserved lemon flavours are held in check by the limestone minerality and the palate is given volume and texture by the usual lees contact over winter. A lovely mouthful of wine that finishes long and dry and beautifully balanced. Unmistakably fine Alsace Riesling.

2021 Fuchs Mader Kientzler Riesling Super Felsa Spranger (Stelvin) - due November
12.75% Alc/vol; 2.4g/l RS; 7.64g/l TA

The cooler vintage in 2021 has yielded a fine crisp yet intense wine with citric aromas overlying delicate mineral notes. Very pure fine and tightly wound on the palate with bracing acidity giving great length and persistence. Very classic and textured dry Riesling that will unfurl with more ageing.