Domaine Bohn “L’Orange Gaulois”

Domaine Bohn “L’Orange Gaulois” is a skin-contact wine that bursts with lively aromas and flavors. The combination of orange peel and stone fruit from Gewürztraminer, along with the bright acidity of Riesling, creates a fragrant, richly textured, and refreshingly drinkable wine.

The unique characteristics of the terroir benefit “L’Orange Gaulois” from Domaine Bohn: Riesling thrives on sandstone-volcanic soils, while Gewürztraminer flourishes on silty soils. The Gewürztraminer grapes undergo a three-week maceration, with 80% in whole clusters and 20% de-stemmed, before blending with Riesling must. The wine then ages for nine months in seasoned oak barrels, fermenting with indigenous yeasts and without the addition of sulfur.

Domaine Bohn

Bernard Bohn and his son Arthur manage their nine-hectare organic estate in Reichsfeld, Alsace, continuing a family tradition of grape cultivation that spans over 300 years. Bernard expanded their land, adding a significant five-hectare plot on the steep, schist-laden Schieferberg hillside. The estate has practiced sustainable farming for many years and achieved organic certification in 2018. They promote biodiversity through cover crops and minimal soil disturbance. The grapes are handpicked in small lots to maintain quality and demonstrate respect for the environment.

As devoted and unconventional vintners, Bernard and Arthur Bohn carry on their family’s winemaking legacy. They tend to their vines, which grow between 330 and 400 meters in elevation, where the slow and extended ripening period enhances the grapes.

The estate’s distinctive shale soils receive careful attention. Bernard and Arthur keep yields low and harvest grapes manually. Committed to organic and ecological farming practices, they promote biodiversity and preserve local wildlife, working toward official organic wine certification. This three-year process began in 2017, and the first official organic harvest took place in 2020.

Bernard and Arthur, both trained oenologists, are highly demanding with their wines. They emphasize that their wine must reflect the local climate and terroir. Their philosophy involves minimal intervention in winemaking, without any added oenological inputs.

The vinification process typically ends with prolonged ageing in Alsace oak barrels or casks, ensuring the resulting wine is well-balanced. The result is a wine that is mineral, airy, persistent, fresh, and easily digestible—ideal for pairing with food.