Winemaker Clarisse

My first meetup with a winemaker was with a woman, vigneronne Clarisse. Charming young lady who manages six hectares of vineyard, which include six of the seven Alsatian wine brands (they decided to pass on Muscat).

She's been at it since 2005, with her husband, after having followed formal training in wine growing, wine tasting and making. The two of them manage the vineyard on their own and it's pretty much a full time, year-round job, the hardest part of which is in the winter, when the weather is freezing and the tasks monotonous, she says. They switched to organic methods since 2012 -- as part of the now 15% of producers in Alsace, a number that is high relative to other wine growers across France.

"Wine growing is about taming the vines, shaping them, and making them do what they otherwise wouldn't. It's a labor of love, which changes every year and to which you need to adapt constantly." And she clearly loves every moment of it :)