Sophie Schaal Pinot Noir 2025

The Land

Pinot Noir is the only red grape allowed under the Alsace appellation, and for generations it was treated as an afterthought in a white-wine region. Hunawihr makes a strong case for taking it seriously. The village sits at the foot of the Vosges between Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr, in the stretch of Alsace sheltered by the mountains from the rain that blows in from the west. The soils Sophie Schaal works here are a mosaic of granite, limestone, and marl, and each grape sits where it fits: Riesling on clay-limestone, Pinot Gris on heavier clay, and Pinot Noir mainly on limestone. That limestone drains well and pushes the roots deep, which is what gives this Alsace red wine its fine tannin, its lift, and its chalky, Burgundian frame.

The Wine

Sophie Schaal Pinot Noir 2025 is 100% Pinot Noir, hand-harvested and carefully sorted, then fermented naturally. It spends about 10 months in neutral French oak barrels and is bottled without fining. Old wood rounds the tannin without adding vanilla or toast, so the fruit stays front and center. By the numbers: 12.5 percent alcohol, under three grams of sugar, and 5.7 grams of acidity. Expect raspberry, redcurrant, and red cherry with a floral lift and a touch of spice, a juicy, light- to medium-bodied middle, and a fresh, fine-grained finish. The 2025 Alsace harvest officially opened on August 19, the earliest start in decades, and persistent humidity and late rain pushed growers to pick fast and finish within about four weeks. Yields came in below average, but the fruit that made it in showed bright flavor and balance.

The People

Sophie Schaal was born in Burgundy, studied in Dijon, and spent five years earning France's national enologist diploma. The turning point, she says, came in 2013 on her first trip to South Africa. She married Julien Schaal, an Alsatian grower who also makes wine at the Cape, and the couple now splits the year between the two. In 2021 she launched her own South African label, Born of Fire, from dry-farmed Chenin Blanc and Syrah on clay and Malmesbury shale in the Swartland. Back in Alsace, she moved the vineyards to organic farming, a step she says came naturally. Her Pinot Noir carries both sides of that story: Burgundian training, and a two-hemisphere winemaker's instinct to keep things clean, focused, and close to the fruit.

Food Pairing

Light tannin and bright acidity make this a red for everyday cooking. Roast a chicken over sliced onions and mushrooms with plenty of thyme; the wine's red fruit and freshness match the pan juices without overwhelming the bird. Seared salmon on warm green lentils with a mustard vinaigrette works because the acidity cuts the fish's richness. Pork tenderloin with a quick sour cherry pan sauce mirrors the fruit, and a mushroom and Gruyère tart lets the earthy side come forward. Give it a 20-minute chill and pour it on any night you want red wine that won't weigh dinner down.