# La Chimère Solera (NV)

- **Producer:** Domaine Brand & Fils
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Riesling
- **Region:** Alsace, France
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 13.5%
- **Average price:** €21
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 10–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** lemon, orange, blossom, peach, apricot, rose, liquorice, vanilla, petrol, honey, dried apricot

## About this wine

Domaine Brand & Fils, located in Ergersheim within the La Couronne d'Or area of Alsace, has been a family-run estate since 1956. Under the visionary leadership of Philippe Brand, who joined in 2006, the estate transitioned fully to organic and biodynamic viticulture, becoming a benchmark for the Alsatian natural wine movement. La Chimère is named after the mythological Greek beast composed of different animals—a poetic metaphor for this unique cuvée, which is crafted using a fractional blending (solera) system. This approach is exceptionally rare for Riesling, a grape traditionally celebrated for single-vintage expressions. By blending multiple consecutive vintages, Brand challenges regional conventions to create a singular, living expression of their 70-year-old estate vines.

## Interesting facts

- Named after the mythological Chimera, symbolizing a single majestic beast formed from the composite parts of multiple distinct vintages.
- Solera-style aging is exceptionally rare for Riesling, which is traditionally celebrated only as a single-vintage snapshot.
- The grapes are sourced from exceptionally old Riesling vines, averaging 70 years of age, planted on clay-limestone soils.
- The estate uses horse-drawn ploughing and biodynamic herbal preparations like nettle tea to maintain soil health.

## Food pairing

This bone-dry, high-acid Riesling possesses a unique textural weight and subtle oxidative complexity from its solera aging. It pairs beautifully with rich, savory dishes like slow-cooked meats and aged cheeses that can match its structural intensity, while its vibrant salinity and electric acidity cut through the richness of seafood and charcuterie, cleansing the palate.

## Wine making process

The grapes are hand-harvested from old vines grown on clay-limestone soils in Ergersheim. Winemaking is strictly non-interventionist, certified under SAINS and AVN standards. Whole grape clusters undergo a very gentle, slow pressing, followed by spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts in large, neutral oak casks (foudres) without temperature control. The wine is aged using a perpetual solera system started with the 2017 and 2018 vintages. Each year, about 75% of the foudre is bottled, and the remaining 25% mother liquid is topped up with the new vintage's juice. The wine is bottled unfined, unfiltered, and with zero added sulfites.