GRAPE VARIETAL
100% Pinot Gris, a grape that in Alsace leans toward richness and texture, always showing both ripe orchard fruit and savory depth, especially when grown in Grand Cru sites.

APPELLATION
Alsace Grand Cru Marckrain, located near Bennwihr and Sigolsheim, is one of the region’s 51 Grand Cru vineyards. Wines from Marckrain carry the AOC Grand Cru designation, reflecting elevated ripeness, complexity, and aging potential.

TERROIR
Marckrain’s slopes face southeast and sit on marl-limestone soils with good water retention and mineral content. This terroir gives Pinot Gris a broad, layered profile with both weight and freshness, especially in warmer vintages.

VINIFICATION
Fermented in stainless steel with controlled temperatures to preserve varietal character, then aged on fine lees for added texture. Michel Fonné favors clarity and balance over overt sweetness, even in richer styles.

TASTING NOTES
Expect baked pear, quince, and a touch of almond, with subtle smokiness and a savory finish. The wine is full-bodied but not heavy, with acidity that keeps the palate moving and a mineral echo from the limestone.

FOOD PAIRING
Pairs well with roast pork and apples, seared scallops with parsnip purée, or mushroom-stuffed pasta. For a twist, try it with honey-glazed root vegetables or a savory onion tart with aged cheese.

Domaine Michel Fonné is based in Bennwihr, a village tucked into the Haut-Rhin stretch of Alsace, where vineyards climb the foothills of the Vosges to catch long afternoon light. Alsace has a well-deserved reputation for white wines that carry gorgeous weight and texture—a quality that’s especially welcome in cooler months—and Pinot Gris is one of the region’s key varietals. Unlike its leaner, more zippy Italian counterpart, Alsace Pinot Gris from the Alsace leans into ripeness and savory depth, deftly balancing the line between dry and off-dry, depending on vigneron, vintage, and terroir.

Michel Fonné and his three daughters, working the crush
Photo courtesy of Domaine Michel Fonné

Grand Cru Marckrain Pinot Gris is sourced from a southeast-facing slope just outside Bennwihr and Sigolsheim. Grand Cru status in Alsace is all about site specificity, with 51 named vineyards recognized for their ability to produce wines of greater concentration, nuance, and aging potential. Compared to standard AOC bottlings, Grand Cru wines offer more layered aromatics, deeper texture, and a clearer sense of terroir. Marckrain, with its marl-limestone soils and warm exposure, is particularly well-suited to Pinot Gris.

Fruit for this tasty Grand Cru is harvested at the perfect peak of perfection, fermented in stainless steel to preserve definition, and aged on fine lees to build texture. No oak or heavy residual sugar is masking the fruit; the terroir does most of the work, leaving the vigneron only to gently guide it through fermentation.

The 2015 vintage has had nearly a decade to settle, and it shows. Pinot Gris from Grand Cru sites often benefits from bottle age, and this one has moved gracefully from primary fruit into more savory territory. The wine has shed its youthful gloss and in your glass now leans into baked pear, dried quince, and almond skin, with a subtle smokiness and a mineral echo from the limestone. The acidity is still present, keeping the wine from feeling fresh, and the finish carries a gentle grip that adds shape.

For pairings, start with Alsace classics: tarte flambée with onion and bacon, roast pork with apples, or spaetzle with mushrooms and cream. Branch out with roasted root veggies over barley pilaf, scallops with parsnip purée and brown butter, or a savory squash galette with aged cheese and thyme. The wine’s depth and gentle, quiet structure make it a flexible partner—especially for dishes that play with texture, umami, and gentle sweetness.