Les Vins Pirouettes
Liberté, Diversité, Fraternité
Quick facts:
Location: different villages all across Alsace, France
Owner & winemaker: an informal association of a growing number of Alsatian growers. Founded by the renowned Alsatian winemaker Christian Binner, run by Rémi Segura and enologists Pierre Sanchez and Xavier Couturier
Vineyard area: variable, due to the nature of the project
Vineyard management: all growers are Organic- or Biodynamic-certified
Soils: Alsace is a geological medley of many soil types, including granite, sand, loess, gneiss, limestone, clay, etc…
Main varieties: the classical Alsatian bunch: Auxerrois, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sylvaner, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir
Winemaking: sparkling wines made as pet-nats or crémants, Eros skin-contact whites, Tutti-Frutti blends… Always spontaneous fermentation, no fining, no filtration, no sulfur added.
Fun facts:
- Christian Binner, the renowned winemaker with more than 20 years of experience, launched this project to help respectful growers in his native Alsace to make and sell soulful natural wines at friendly prices
- It’s an open association of an ever-growing number of winemakers around Alsace, all working organically or biodynamically
- All the wines are made in their respective cellars by the winemakers themselves, fostered by the project’s enologists
- The name « Pirouette » symbolizes the fun they’re having with this movement, but also the mastery & knowhow needed to execute a good honest wine.
- Since 2023, the Lycée Viticole de Rouffach (winemaking school in the village of Rouffach) joined the project, marking an important initiative: natural winemaking is thus putting its foot in the door of the official enological curriculum in France!
Jump to wines | Pirouettes FB Page
“Les Vins Pirouettes” is a collective project originally launched by Christian Binner, the renowned Alsatian winemaker (and a part of our book, of course), who’s been making legendary zero-zero wines in his Ammerschwihr winery for more than 20 years. Saddened by the sight of organic and biodynamic grapes being sold for little to cooperatives, in 2008 Christian decided to encourage these growers to make wine under their proper name instead, thus promoting the idea of soulful terroir wines made with zero nonsense both in the vineyard and the cellar.
Alsace is a great region for this goal, btw: thanks to the Vosges range protecting it from the West, it’s a sunny and dry area, exercising lower disease pressure on the sensitive Vitis Vinifera. And, given its colorful geology, the region is a true patchwork of soils and subsoils ranging from granite to limestone and volcanic plots. Combine it with the 13 typical local varietals and you have the ideal hotbed for a breathtaking span of flavors and styles, especially when respectfully grown; it would be a sin to let them disappear in some insipid cooperative wines.
Hence Pirouettes! A friendly, open association of an ever-growing number of like-minded vignerons. As of 2023, it consists of some twenty organic and biodynamic growers whose first names you’ll always find on the bottle, along with a title referring to the method (Pet-nat, Crémant…), cru (Bildstoecklé, Frankstein) or style of wine. The Glou Glous are—surprise surprise—highly drinkable, Tutti Frutti connotes a white blend of multiple grapes, Eros serves flamboyant macerated whites… All the wines are made with zero-additions in the winemakers’ own cellars, with the gentle helping hand of the project’s enologists Xavier Couturier and Pierre Sanchez.
“It’s important to say that Pirouette is by no means a négoce,” the team explains. “On the contrary, each cuvée is vinified at the winemaker’s own place, by their own team, respecting their history and character.” And since selling the wine is equally important yet not easy (it’s difficult to be a brand manager when you’re a full-time vineyard person), Rémi Ségura and Alicia Merimé have joined the project to spread the word and continue its successful journey throughout the world.
« Pirouettes » is the name they chose to symbolize the fun they’re having, but also because “these wines are like beautiful artistic figures, the result of certain know-how and mastery. Pirouette is a gesture of freedom, emotion, and joy,” Christian explains. Indeed, it’s an appropriate name for this liberated movement of skillful artisans, and a beautiful legacy for the winemaker who pushed it forward.
- Saveurs d’Eric
- Riesling de Julien
- Tutti Frutti de Stéphane
- Crémant de Stephane
- Glouglou Pinot Noir d’Hubert et Christian
- Le Bildstoecklé Riesling de Stephane
- Le Brutal de Jean Marc
- Sylvaner Glouglou d’Hubert et Christian
- Le Bubbles de Julien
- Le Frankstein Riesling d’Eric
- Eros de Vincent
- Pet Nat d’Eric
- Brutal de Jean-Luc
- Tutti Frutti d’Olivier
- Saveurs de Raphael
- Le Brutal de Claude
- Le Pet-Nat de David
- La Bullette de David
- Saveurs de Claude
- Espectacular De Stephane
- Eros de Raphael
- Ultra Violet de David
- Eros de David
- Rouge Litron de David
- Le Brutal de Claude blanc
- Le Brutal de Raphael Pinot Noir
- Eros de Pierre
- Le Brutal de Stephane
Saveurs d’Eric — Back to the top
cultivated and vinified by Domaine Jean-Louis et Eric Kamm, Dambach-la-Ville
Vineyard: 50yo vines, certified organic (ECOCERT since 2010), on Granite and Limestone
Number of Bottles produced: 3600
Varieties: 70% Auxerrois / 30% Sylvaner
Vinification Method: Grapes are hand-harvested, destemmed, and fermented with indigenous yeast and zero sulfur. Elevage for 4 months in stainless steel tank and bottled with zero addition of sulfur. Unfined and unfiltered.
Riesling de Julien — Back to the top
Certification: ECOCERT organic certification
Age of Vines: 15-20 years
Yields: 45hl/ha
Pruning Method: Taille double guyot
Soil: Clay and Limestone
Varieties: Riesling
Vinification Method: Grapes are hand harvested, destemmed, and fermented with indigenous yeast and zero sulfur. Elevage on the lees for 13 months in traditional large Alsatian foudre and bottled with zero addition of sulfur. Unfined and unfiltered.
Tutti Frutti de Stéphane — Back to the top
cultivated and vinified by Stéphane Bannwarth, Domaine Bannwarth, Obermorschwihr
Vineyard: 35-40 years old vines on limestone silt & loess. Organic- (ECOCERT since 2004) and Biodynamic- (Demeter since 2012) certified
Grapes: Auxerrois, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Muscat, Gewurztraminer, Riesling (proportions vary depending on the vintage)
Making of: Grapes are hand-harvested, sorted and direct-pressed as whole bunches. Naturally fermented in tanks. Elevage on the fine lees for 11 months in concrete and oak vats, bottled with zero addition of sulfur. Unfined and unfiltered.
Personality: as the name suggests, a veritable basket of fruit! Thirst-quenching wine for all sorts of occasions.
Crémant de Stephane — Back to the top
Crémant de Stephane tech sheet
cultivated and vinified by Stéphane Bannwarth, Domaine Bannwarth, Obermorschwihr
Certification: Organic Wine certification (ECOCERTsince 2004) and Biodynamic certifcation (Demeter since 2012)
Age of Vines: 35-40 years
Yields: 70hl/ha
Soil: Chalk and Loess
Varieties: Riesling, Auexerrois, Pinot Gris
Vinification Method: Grapes are hand harvested, destemmed, and fermented with indigenous yeast and zero sulfur. Elevage on the fine lees for 11 months in stainless steel tanks, then the wine is moved to the bottle for secondary fermentation with an addition of grape juice from the same vintage (no sugar or yeast added) with zero addition of sulfur. Unfined and unfiltered.
Glouglou Pinot Noir d’Hubert et Christian — Back to the top
Glouglou Pinot Noir d’Hubert et Christian tech sheet
cultivated and vinified by Christian Engel, Domaine Engel, Orschwiller
Vineyard: 1ha of 40yo vines on gneiss, certified organic (ECOCERT since 2014)
Varieties: Pinot Noir
Cellar: Grapes are hand-harvested with a first triage in the vines and second on the sorting table in the winery. After 15 days of maceration, the wine is gently pressed and aged on lees in stainless steel tank, for about one year. Bottled with zero addition of sulfur (10ppm total), unfined and unfiltered.
Personality: Cherry coke, figs & earth.
Le Bildstoecklé Riesling de Stephane — Back to the top
Le Bildstoecklé is a vineyard of magnificent terroir, featuring ancient marine limestone soil that is extremely rocky and full of rich iron deposits. The vineyard faces south on gently sloping hills in the heart of the Alsatian vineyards.
Cultivated and vinified by Stéphane Bannwarth, Domaine Bannwarth, Obermorschwihr.
Certification: Organic Wine certification (ECOCERTsince 2004) and Biodynamic certification (Demeter since 2012)
Soil: Very rocky limestone
Varieties: Riesling
Vinification Method: Grapes are hand-harvested with a triage in the vines, destemmed, and fermented with indigenous yeast and zero sulfur. Elevage on the lees for 13 months in traditional large Alsatian foudre and bottled with zero addition of sulfur. Unfined and unfiltered.
Le Brutal de Jean Marc — Back to the top 
The Brutal wine corporation is a loose conglomeration of natural winemakers. All the wines have no sulfur added. Generally, all the labels for Brutal wines looked the same, although you will find cuvées with a slightly altered design (such as the Gut Oggau one, for example) – here, the usual grim reaper slaying the SO2 is replaced by a stork, a symbol of Alsace.
Cultivated and vinified by Jean-Marc Dreyer, Rosheim.
Vines certified oraganic by ECOCERT in 2004 and byodynamic since 2016
Soil: Clay and Limestone
Varieties: Gewurtraminer, Pinot Gris, Riesling
Age of Vines: 40 years old
Yield: 40hl/ha
Vinification Method: Grapes are hand harvested with a triage in the vines, destemmed, and fermented with indigenous yeast and zero sulfur. The varieties are vinified separately, and spend about 18 days macerating on the skins, producing a nice orange/pink color. Elevage on the fine lees for 11 months in traditional large Alsatian foudre and bottled with zero addition of sulfur. The wine is blended a day before being bottled, Unfined and unfiltered.
Le Sylvaner Glouglou d’Hubert et Christian — Back to the top
cultivated and vinified by Christian Engel, Domaine Engel, Orschwiller
Soil: Sandy clay soil
Varieties: Sylvaner
Age of Vines: 45 years old
Vinification Method: Grapes are hand harvested with a triage in the vines, destemmed, and fermented with indigenous yeast and zero sulfur. Elevage on the fine lees for 7 months in traditional large Alsatian foudre and bottled with zero addition of sulfur. Unfined and unfiltered.
Le Bubbles de Julien — Back to the top
Soil: Clay and Limestone 
Varieties: Riesling
Age of Vines: 15-20 years old
Yield: 45hl/ha
Vinification Method: Grapes are hand harvested with a triage in the vines, destemmed, and fermented with indigenous yeast and zero sulfur. The finished wine ages on the lees in stainless steel tanks for 24 months. The finished base wine is then combined with unfermented grape juice from the same vines from the newer vintage for the secondary bottle fermentation to finish as a natural sparkling wine with zero additions of sugar, yeast, or sulfur. The wine is unfiltered and is not disgorged.
Le Frankstein Riesling d’Eric — Back to the top
cultivated and vinified by Domaine Jean-Louis et Eric Kamm, Dambach-la-Ville
Soil: Granite and Mica
Varieties: Riesling
Age of Vines: 35 years old
Yield: 40/ha
Vinification Method: Grapes are hand harvested with a triage in the vines, destemmed, and fermented with indigenous yeast and zero sulfur. Elevage on the fine lees for 10 months in barrels and bottled with zero addition of sulfur. Unfined and unfiltered.
Eros by Vincent — Back to the top
cultivated and vinified by Vincent Gross, Domaine Gross, Gueberschwihr
Vineyard: 0.5 ha of 18yo vines on limestone and sandstone, organic since 2011
Varieties: Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sylvaner
Cellar: Grapes are hand-harvested and sorted in the vineyards, destemmed, and fermented on skins for 25 days, resulting in orange wine. Elevage on the fine lees for 8 months in foudre. Zero addition of sulfur, unfined and unfiltered.
Personality: “I loved making this skinsy Alsatian amber,” confesses the winemaker. Judging from the speed with which this wine sells out every time we get some, everybody else loves drinking it.
Pet Nat d’Eric — Back to the top
cultivated and vinified by Domaine Jean-Louis et Eric Kamm, Dambach-la-Ville
Vineyard: 18 years old vines on granite, organically grown
Varieties: 80% Auxerrois, 20% Pinot Noir
Cellar: Grapes are hand-harvested, destemmed, and fermented with indigenous yeast and zero sulfur. The wine ferments in concrete tanks and spends some time on the lees before the two grapes are blended and then transferred to bottles to finish as a naturally sparkling wine with zero additions of sugar, yeast, or sulfur. The wine is unfiltered and is not disgorged.
Personality: gentle sparkle, floral nose, zesty mouth – un joli pet-nat, quoi!
Brutal de Jean-Luc — Back to the top
cultivated and vinified by Jean-Luc et Michèle Shaeringer, Domaine Wymann, Ribeauvillé
Vineyard : Limestone and clay loam
Varieties: Pinot Noir
Yield: 35/ha
Vinification Method: Very ripe grapes, that are partially “raisinated” are hand-harvested with a triage performed at the vines. Whole cluster fermentation for about 1 month in stainless steel tanks, followed by manual punch-downs. Elevage on the lees for one year and bottled with zero addition of sulfur. Unfined and unfiltered.
Tutti Frutti d’Olivier — Back to the top
cultivated and vinified by Oliver Carl, Domaine André Carl & Fils, Dambach-la-Ville
Vineyard: certified organic. Granite, Sand
Varieties: Sylvaner, Auxerrois, Pinot Gris
Vinification Method: Grapes are sorted while harvested by hand, then directly pressed with a delicate pneumatic press. Fermentation with indigenous yeast, elevage on fine lees for 9 months in big hundred-year-old oak vats (“foudres”). Bottled with zero addition of sulfur, unfined and unfiltered.
Personality: full-frontal fruit freshness! Compelling nose of citrus fruit with minty touch, mouthfeel balancing roundness, and the lip-smacking acidity of hard citrus candy.
Saveurs de Raphaël — Back to the top
cultivated and vinified by Raphaël Marchal, Domaine de L’Envol, Ingersheim
Vineyard: 0.82ha of 50 years old vines on limestone, biodynamic since 2016
Varieties: Gewurztraminer 85%, Riesling 15 %
Cellar: Grapes are hand-harvested, destemmed, and fermented with indigenous yeast and zero sulfur in big wooden vats. Bottled with light filtration and zero addition of sulfur (12ppm in total).
Personality: beautiful dry-style Gewurztraminer – all the flowers & spices without the heavy mouthfeel, this one is all about fresh acidity. Perfect with Asian food.
Le Brutal de Claude — Back to the top
cultivated and vinified by Claude Straub, Blienschwiller
Grapes: Pinot Noir
Vineyard: 0.4ha of 40yo organically grown Pinot Noir on granite and clay-silt
Cellar: Grapes are sorted while harvested by hand, then macerated for 20 days: first as whole bunches (natural carbonic maceration), gently foot-stomped after 8 days. Gentle pressing, elevage on lees in stainless steel tanks, for 11 months. Racked and bottled without fining, filtration or sulfur added (total SO2 16ppm)
Personality: fruity and irresistible. With light structure and silky tannins thanks to the carbonic maceration, this is a delicious berry-driven Pinot with brutal drinkability.
Pet Nat de David — Back to the top
cultivated and vinified by Domaine Muller-Koeberle, Saint-Hippolyte
Vineyard: granite, organic
Varieties: Riesling
Cellar: Grapes are hand-harvested, destemmed and macerated on skins for two days, then fermented with indigenous yeast and zero sulfur. The wine ferments in tanks and spends some time on the lees before transferred to bottles to finish as a naturally sparkling wine with zero additions of sugar, yeast, or sulfur. The wine is unfiltered and is not disgorged.
Personality: zesty in all senses! The freshness of Riesling mingles with a deeper skinsy undertone coming from the short skin contact.
La Bulette de David — Back to the top
cultivated and vinified by Domaine Muller-Koeberle, Saint-Hippolyte
Vineyard: granite, organic
Varieties: Riesling
Cellar: Grapes are hand-harvested, direct-pressed, and fermented with indigenous yeast and zero sulfur. The wine ferments in stainless steel tanks and spends some time on the lees before it is transferred to bottles to finish as a naturally sparkling wine with zero additions of sugar, yeast, or sulfur. The wine is unfiltered and is not disgorged.
Personality: a distinct Riesling character underlined by gentle fizz.
Saveurs de Claude — Back to the top
cultivated and vinified by Claude Straub, Blienschwiller
Vineyard: 1-hectare parcel of 45 years old vines on granite and granitic sand, certified organic since 2016
Varieties: Pinot Auxerrois and a bit of Sylvaner
Making of: Grapes are hand-harvested, sorted in the vineyard and then gently pressed as whole bunches. The juice is then fermented over the winter with indigenous yeast and zero sulfur. Elevage for 8 months in fiberglass tanks, bottled with zero addition of sulfur (9ppm SO2 total). Unfined and unfiltered.
Personality: precise, elegant, vibrant. Ripe fruit (quinces, yellow apples) balanced by zesty acidity.
Espectacular de Stephane — Back to the top
cultivated and vinified by Stéphane Bannwarth, Domaine Bannwarth
Vineyard: 40-yo vines on clay-limestone in Ammerschwihr. Certified organic since 2004, biodynamic (DEMETER) since 2012.
Grapes: Riesling 7%, Pinot Gris 37%, Gewurztraminer 50%, Muscat 6%
Making of: Grapes are hand-harvested, gently stomped and shortly skin macerated. The juice is then fermented with indigenous yeast and zero sulfur in stainless steel tanks. Bottled the following fall with zero addition of sulfur (15ppm SO2 total). Unfined and unfiltered.
Personality: radiant! Salmon-pink orange color, a compelling nose of traminey-roses and exotic fruit with depth of the pinot gris and riesling’s lift: a very nicely done skin contact wine for any occasion.
Eros de Raphael — Back to the top
cultivated and vinified by Raphaël Marchal, Domaine de L’Envol, Ingersheim
Vineyard: granite, sand, clay-limestone, organically and biodynamically grown
Grapes: 35% Riesling, 30% Gewurztraminer, 25% Auxerrois, 10 % Sylvaner
Making of: Grapes are hand-harvested, sorted in the vineyard, destemmed, and then macerated together for about 10 days. The juice is then fermented with indigenous yeast and zero sulfur in stainless steel for 7 days, rested for cca 8 months in stainless steel tanks, bottled with zero addition of sulfur (total SO2 16ppm). Unfined and unfiltered.
Personality: Generous and very easy to drink orange wine, just like its older cousin Eros de Vincent!
Ultra Violet de David — Back to the top
cultivated and vinified by Domaine Muller-Koeberle, Saint-Hippolyte
Vineyard: granite, organic
Grapes: Auxerrois 12.5%, Pinot blanc 20.8%, Pinot Noir 26.6%, Muscat 6.6%, Pinot Gris 16.6%, Riesling 12.5%, Gewurztraminer 4.1%
Making of: Grapes are hand-harvested, sorted in the vineyard, and then macerated as whole bunches for 5 days. The juice is then fermented with indigenous yeast and zero sulfur in stainless steel, elevage for 7 months in stainless steel tanks, bottled with zero addition of sulfur (9ppm SO2 total). Unfined and unfiltered.
Personality: superbly alive red-white coferment – not only Ultra Violet but also Ultra Glou!
Eros de David — Back to the top
cultivated and vinified by Domaine Muller-Koeberle, Saint-Hippolyte
Fun fact: David plays classical music continuously in his cellar during vinification.
Grapes: 40% Riesling, 40% Gewurztraminer, 20% Muscat
Vineyard: Granite, Southern exposure. Organically farmed
Making of: The grapes are hand-harvested and sorted in the vineyard. The three grapes are macerated together for 10 days. Bottled unfined, unfiltered, unsulfured in the summer following the harvest.
Personality: Generous, irresistible and very easy to drink orange wine, just like its older Eros brothers!
Rouge Litron de David (fka Pinot Noir Glou Glou) — Back to the top
cultivated and vinified by Domaine Muller-Koeberle, Saint-Hippolyte
Fun fact: David plays classical music continuously in his cellar during vinification.
Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir
Vineyard: Granite, Southern exposure. Organically farmed
Making of: The grapes are hand-harvested and sorted in the vineyard. The grapes are gently stomped and macerated for 10 days. Bottled unfined, unfiltered, unsulfured in the summer following the harvest.
Personality: super delicious and easy to drink style of Pinot with bright fruit and fresh acidity – you’ll be happy it comes in a 1-liter size!
Le Brutal de Claude blanc — Back to the top
A non-vintage, partly skin-macerated white cuvée made as part of the cult Brutal concept. Cultivated and vinified by Claude Straub, Blienschwiller
Grapes: Riesling, Sylvaner
Vineyard: granite, organically grown
Cellar: all grapes are sorted while harvested by hand. The Riesling part comes from vintages 2016 and 2017; during the 2018 harvest, they were blended with fresh juice of skin-macerated Sylvaner. Elevage on lees in fiberglass tanks. Racked and bottled without fining, filtration or sulfur added.
Personality: rich, flamboyant white with heaps of spices and exotic fruit – although not really sparkling, there’s a slight fizzy lift, hence also the crown cap closure.
Le Brutal de Raphael Pinot Noir — Back to the top
cultivated and vinified by Raphaël Marchal, Domaine de L’Envol, Ingersheim
Grapes: Pinot Noir
Vineyard: 2.4ha of 50yo vines on limestone – Steinert Grand Cru, south-west exposure. Organic since 2013, biodynamic since 2016.
Cellar: Grapes are sorted while harvested by hand, then macerated for 20 days as whole bunches (natural carbonic maceration). Gentle pressing, elevage on lees in stainless steel tanks, for 11 months. Racked and bottled without fining, filtration or sulfur added (total SO2 12ppm)
Personality: silky tannins and intense red fruit profile with a wild touch and beautiful vivacity giving away its “brutal” pedigree.
Eros de Pierre — Back to the top
cultivated and vinified by Pierre Bannwarth (not directly related to Stéphane Bannwarth, just a fun coincidence / a very old link), Domaine Pierre de Vigne, Eguisheim
Grapes: 60% Muscat, 40% Gewurztraminer
Vineyard: limestone marl, biodynamic farming (Demeter-certified). The Muscat comes from a north-oriented slope while the Gewurztraminer is from the Grand Cru
Hatschbourg, a full-south exposure vineyard.
Making of: the grapes are hand-harvested, sorted and macerated for 10 days, 100 % whole bunches. Spontaneous fermentation followed by elevage in stainless steel tanks, for 11 months. Bottled without fining, filtration or sulfur addition.
Personality: “yin and yang, black and white, or rather pink (gewurtz) and white (muscat), poised in a delicate balance”, the winemaker describes. Yet another succesful addition to the popular Eros orange family!
Le Brutal de Stephane — Back to the top 
cultivated and vinified by Stéphane Bannwarth, Domaine Laurent Bannwarth, Obermorschwihr
Grapes: 50% Pinot Noir, 50% Pinot Gris
Vineyard: Bildstoecklé, one of Stephane’s signature and most interesting sites. Silt on oolithic limestone. Organic and biodynamic-certified
Cellar: Grapes are sorted while harvested by hand, then macerated for 15 days as whole bunches (natural carbonic maceration). Gentle pressing, elevage on lees in stainless steel tanks, for 20 months. Racked and bottled without fining, filtration or sulfur added.
Personality: generous, rounded red-white with good aging potential – but hard to have the patience given how delicious it is!