Altenberg de Wolxheim

🇫🇷 France

Grand Cru Rare find

Napoleon I's favorite wine - 11 centuries of ecclesiastic prestige, now biodynamic benchmark.

0 venues 0 trails

Region profile

History

Medieval documents recount ecclesiastic interest: Strasbourg bishopric (Bishop Wernher 1003), Hohenbourg Abbey (1188), Benedictines of Altdorf (1192), Strasbourg hospital (1320). Emperor Napoleon I reportedly declared Wolxheim wines his favorite. Granted Grand Cru status 1992. Domaine Vogt biodynamic Demeter 2020.

Climate
Stony marl-limestone from Jurassic period; remarkably dry microclimate (foehn winds); 200-250m altitude at foot of Horn cliff
Signature wines
Domaine Laurent Vogt Riesling Altenberg de Wolxheim (~$30) - biodynamic Demeter certified; Napoleon's favorite terroir modernized
What sets it apart
Napoleon I's declared favorite wine; 4 medieval religious orders documented; 2011 special Riesling recognition; 1,000+ years ecclesiastic history

Facts

  • 31.20 hectares
  • Napoleon I declared it "My favorite wine!"
  • 2011 special recognition among only 11 vineyards specifically for Riesling
  • Bishop Wernher documented 1003 AD

Region profile from the Wine Memories wine-data corpus · verified January 2026