Bestheim
ベストハイム
Alsace's leading cooperative, born from Bennwihr's post-war rebirth and famed for award-winning Crémant.
Bestheim is one of Alsace's largest wine cooperatives, formed through a series of mergers between five village cellars: Bennwihr, Westhalten, Obernai, Sigolsheim, and Kientzheim-Kaysersberg. Its roots trace back to 1946, when winegrowers in Bennwihr — a village devastated in the Second World War — banded together to build a cooperative cellar before even rebuilding their own homes. In 1997 the Bennwihr cooperative merged with the Cave de Westhalten to form Bestheim, later joined by the Obernai (2012) and Kientzheim-Kaysersberg (2015) cellars. Today the cooperative brings together some 400-450 grower families farming roughly 1,350-1,450 hectares of vines across more than 70 villages, from Barr in the north to Wuenheim in the south. Bennwihr serves as headquarters and the site for still wine production, while Westhalten is dedicated to Crémant d'Alsace. Bestheim's Crémants and still wines have been recognized at competitions including the Concours Général Agricole, the Decanter World Wine Awards, and the Confrontation Internationale des Meilleurs Effervescents du Monde.
www.bestheim.com/en/ ↗Cuvées
No cuvées registered yet.
Who Is This For?
For those who want reliable, well-crafted Alsace wines across every price point — from everyday Pinot Blanc and Crémant to Grand Cru bottlings — made with the acidity and aromatic clarity that pair naturally with delicate cuisines, including Japanese food.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How was Bestheim founded?
- Bestheim traces back to 1946, when winegrowers in the war-devastated village of Bennwihr founded a cooperative cellar. It took its current name in 1997 after merging with the Cave de Westhalten, and later grew through mergers with the Obernai (2012) and Kientzheim-Kaysersberg (2015) cellars.
- How large is the Bestheim cooperative?
- Bestheim brings together roughly 400-450 grower families cultivating about 1,350-1,450 hectares of vines across more than 70 villages in Alsace, from Barr in the north to Wuenheim in the south.
- What is Bestheim especially known for?
- Bestheim is particularly renowned for its Crémant d'Alsace, produced using the traditional method at its Westhalten site, alongside a full range of Alsace still wines including Grand Cru bottlings, both produced mainly at its Bennwihr headquarters.
- Has Bestheim won any awards?
- Yes. Bestheim's wines and Crémants have earned medals at the Concours Général Agricole, the Decanter World Wine Awards, and the Confrontation Internationale des Meilleurs Effervescents du Monde, and the cooperative was voted best cooperative winery by Germany's Weinwirtschaft competition in 2023 and 2024.