Muller-Koeberlé – La Geiss 2022

Muller-Koeberlé La Geiss 2022 Pinot Noir France, AOC Alsace, Saint-Hippolyte La Geiss 2022 is a masterclass in tension—the pull between playful energy and serious structure. More importantly, it quietly dismantles a persistent myth: that profound wine requires industrial intervention. David Koeberlé took over the family estate in 2012, acting as a bridge between generations. With a deep respect for history and terroir, he is making a leap back to pre-industrial winemaking in Alsace. He’s not a Silicon Valley guy chasing a bandwagon; he is a fourth-generation custodian who looked at the industrial farming methods of the post-war era and simply said, “No, we’re done with that.” He completely pivoted the estate, converting first to organic, then to biodynamics, while simultaneously embracing agroforestry. David plants trees right inside the vineyard, directly among the vines. This encourages thriving biodiversity: birds, insects, and a healthy microbiome in the soil. As the climate warms, those trees provide shade and help lower the temperature. This is viticulture as ecology, not production. But La Geiss operates on another level as well. It is a true Zero-Zero wine. Nothing added, nothing taken away. No artificial colors, no flavor correctors, no fining or filtration, and absolutely no added sulfites at any stage of the winemaking process, from the moment the grapes are picked to the second the cork goes in. Sulfites act as a safety net. They protect wine from oxidation and spoilage, freezing it in time. Remove that net, and you are walking a tightrope without a harness. When it works, the result is startling. The wine feels less muted, less restrained. There is a kind of vibration, a sense of life, that is impossible to achieve in tamed wines. Perhaps the vitality we perceive in a wine like La Geiss exists precisely because it was made on the edge of failure. Without the safety net, precision becomes non-negotiable. Attention sharpens. Craft deepens. Maybe true beauty requires a touch of danger.   If you tasted the 2021 vintage, you’ll remember its crisp, delicate energy and high acidity. The sun-drenched 2022 season tells a different story. This is a broader, more generous expression—richer, more textural, yet still alive with tension. The dainty redcurrant of cooler years gives way to darker fruit: wild raspberry, fleshy black plum and wild cherry. Yet, true to its Alsatian roots, it never feels heavy. It lifts beautifully in the glass, offering a soaring floral freshness of crushed violets and an intriguing, rustic herbal edge of wild thyme, mint, and autumn forest floor.