Charles Frey

Domaine Charles Frey is based in Dambach-la-Ville, a beautiful medieval village on the Alsace Wine Route. Originally from Switzerland, the Frey family settled here in 1709 and initially practised mixed farming, cultivating just 1.5 hectares of vines. Charles and Renée Frey devoted themselves fully to viticulture in the 1960s, releasing the domaine’s first bottles in 1963.

A more radical chapter began in 1996, when their son Dominique started converting the entire estate to organic and biodynamic farming. At the time, this was far from fashionable, making Charles Frey one of the early pioneers of biodynamics in Alsace.

Today, the domaine farms 20 hectares across four villages, including parcels within the granite-rich Grand Cru Frankstein. Its commitment to thoughtful farming extends beyond the vineyards: in 2010, the Freys built an impressive bioclimatic cellar from natural materials, designed to regulate temperature and humidity passively. Now led by brothers Julien and Thiébaud, this is an estate with more than three centuries of history, but very little interest in standing still.