Due to the pandemic and the relentless advance of the digital era, which imposes increasingly radical changes, industry professionals have questioned the relevance of continuing to organize wine fairs in traditional ways. One of the most insightful voices on this matter is Angelo Peretti, who, concluding an article on the overwhelming overlap of three fairs—Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris, ProWein, and Vinitaly—writes: “Does the traditional wine fair business model still make sense in the post-Covid era, in the digital age? In my opinion, not entirely, or at least not completely. But don’t ask me what the new model might be: excuse me, readers, but if I had an answer, I wouldn’t share it in a newspaper, as I’d enrich myself by applying it. The first to identify this answer will dominate.”
I am convinced that we should nurture genuine human interaction, with all its physicality, as a valuable asset. Indeed, due to the pandemic, we have realized the necessity for a change in perspective, with an urgency to return to a sort of ‘Humanitas,’ in which excessive reliance on technology risks eroding from our lives.
This event was exclusively for industry professionals worldwide seeking to deepen their knowledge of the renowned French appellation.
In 2020, the pandemic caused the cancellation of the traditional biennial Alsace wine fair.. It only returned in 2021 in its inaugural DigiTasting® edition—a new format held virtually, albeit not entirely, as it blended digital meetings with real tastings. The second edition of the virtual salon Millésimes Alsace Digitasting took place from February 27 to March 1, 2023, and was highly educational to attend.
How it worked
The Salon connected producers, buyers, sommeliers, press, and Horeca professionals using specially curated tasting kits shipped free of charge to all participants. By logging onto the www.millesimes-alsace.com platform, attendees could select which wineries they wanted to sample, requesting 5 tasting kits each, with the system automatically adding 2 surprise kits and the “So trendy” masterclass kit. Each participant received 8 kits containing 32 samples in 3 cl mini-glass bottles, reflecting the traditional Rhenish form. In 2021, Digiasting developed the entire project, optimizing it with support from the Institut français de la Vigne et du Vin (IFV) and independent laboratories to ensure product integrity. Participants could meet producers individually in virtual rooms and taste wines together during the event.
Numbers of the 2023 edition
The numbers of the 2023 edition:
- 74 exhibitors
- 296 wines presented
- 2,850 accredited visitors, including 621 from France (22%) and 2,229 international visitors (78%) from 51 countries.
- A total of 8,300 packages shipped, comprising over 33,000 mini bottles
- more than 350 people attended the live masterclasses
My kit
Domaine Mittnacht Freres – Hunawihr
The brothers André and Louis Mittnacht founded the estate in 1963, at the foot of the fortified church of Hunawihr. They have approximately 11 hectares of vineyards, including the lieux-dits Muehlforst and the grand crus Rosacker, Osterberg, Mandelberg, and La Courtille—the latter being their exclusive monopole. Since the late 1990s, the estate has shifted towards organic and biodynamic viticulture.
Highlight: Riesling Grand Cru Rosacker 2019, offers great complexity and dynamism.
Les Frères Engel – Orschwiller
Established in 1958, Domaine Engel manages its organic vineyards in Orschwiller, a village of less than a thousand inhabitants about 60 kilometers south of Strasbourg in the Lower Rhine region. Their vineyards extend to the Praelatenberg hill, one of Alsace’s grand crus.
Highlight: Alsace AOC Pinot Noir 2021, occasionally surprising yet extraordinarily expressive.
Jean-Baptiste Adam – Ammerschwihr
Located on the Alsace Wine Route at the foot of the Grand Cru Kaefferkopf in Ammerschwihr, Jean-Baptiste Adam founded this family-run winery in 1614. Initially certified organic, they transitioned to biodynamic practices in 2003.
Highlight: Alsace Grand Cru Le Riesling Kaefferkopf “Vieilles Vignes” 2019, complex, incisive, and with great aging potential.
Domaine Philippe Sohler – Nothalten
Run by Marine & Lydie, the first all-female generation to manage this family estate in Nothalten, at the foot of the Ungersberg. Their vineyards have been organic since the 2021 harvest.
Highlight: Muenchberg Grand Cru Riesling 2019, bold and extremely gastronomic.
Domaine Gueth – Gueberschwihr
The Gueth family’s winemaking tradition dates back to Sébastien, born in 1725. It continues today with Muriel, a winemaker, and the current owner, under the guidance of her parents, Jean-Claude and Bernadette. Located in Gueberschwihr, a medieval village south of Colmar, the estate was established in 1970. It started with 3 hectares and has since expanded to 8 hectares.
Highlight: Les Grès Roses 2019, a blend of Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc Auxerrois, essential and gastronomic.
Domaine G. Metz – Itterswiller
Since the early 18th century, the Metz family has cultivated vineyards in Epfig. In 1930, Marcellin Metz moved to Itterswiller and, from 1936, focused on viticulture. Today, Domaine G. Metz spans over 18 hectares across Itterswiller, Epfig, Nothalten, Gertwiller, Obernai, Heiligenstein, Andlau, and Mittelbergheim.
Since 1996, Eric Casimir, originally from Champagne and married to one of Gérard’s daughters, has led the estate.
Notable among the 4 samples tasted: Riesling 2020 Vins de Fruits, Assemblage Fruehmess 2020, but above all, Riesling Grand Cru Muenchberg 2019, complex and remarkably expansive.
Paul Gaschy – Eguisheim
Founded in 1938 with the sale of bulk wine alongside livestock farming, Paul Gaschy’s estate gradually moved into bottling. Since the 2000s, under Paul’s son Hervé, the cellar expanded and modernized.
They now cultivate 9 hectares in Fronenberg, Rosenberg, and the Grands Crus Eichberg, Pfersigberg, and Hengst.
Certified organic since 2012. I particularly enjoyed Paul Gaschy’s wines, all remarkably expressive—ever-changing wines that imprint themselves on your mind, such as Riesling Grand Cru Eichberg 2015, Pinot Gris Grand Cru Eichberg 2017, Gewurztraminer Fronenberg 2016.
The “So trendy” Masterclass
The “So trendy” masterclass was of significant educational value, aiming to identify the alignment of four Alsace wines with current consumption trends. Participants could follow the live masterclass or view it later on the website, always with their tasting kit at hand. Conducted by specialists like Manuel Peyrondet (Best Sommelier of France 2011), Yves Beck (Swiss wine author and critic), Jennifer Wagoner (Group Wine Director for Zuma restaurants in the USA), and Thierry Fritsch (oenologist, educator, and Alsace wine specialist).
A wine for every style:
STYLE 1: “SO FRESH!” – AOC Alsace Riesling 2020, lieu-dit “Harth”
An accessible wine for the novice consumer—easy-drinking yet not trivial, with prominent fruit and balance. Ideal for everyday consumption, highly versatile in food pairings.
STYLE 2: “SO TERROIR…” – AOC Alsace Grand Cru Kitterlé Riesling 2017
An identity wine that reveals the high quality of Alsace terroir—characterful and artisanal, for those seeking Alsace in a glass.
STYLE 3: “SO SWEEEEET” – AOC Alsace Gewurztraminer 2020 “Vieilles Vignes”
Here, Manuel Peyrondet extols the typology and encourages adventurous food pairings. Novice consumers may be surprised by the wine’s versatility and are advised to keep a bottle in their cellar.
STYLE 4: The “SO RED” Wine – AOC Alsace Rodern Pinot Noir 2019
This is where all the great potential of Alsatian Pinot Noir becomes evident. Elegance, balance, and expressiveness.
For those who want to delve deeper into the contents of the masterclass, even without having the tasting kit at their disposal, the words of Foulques Aulagnon, export marketing manager of Civa, encapsulate and give a precise dimension of how we could leverage all the possibilities offered by digital media while continuing to participate in small and large in-person wine events:
“The digital format does not aim to replace, but rather to complement and enrich other in-person events, especially considering that professionals are very busy and cannot be everywhere. Our work habits have changed, and Alsace Wines are adapting to offer a privileged and unique tasting experience. The formula allows you to meet many Alsatian producers and taste their wines from the comfort of your home.“