Dopff & Irion
ドップ・エ・イリオン
Riquewihr château estate, benchmark for Crémant d'Alsace.
Dopff & Irion is a historic Alsace estate based at the 16th-century Château de Riquewihr (built 1549 for the Princes of Württemberg), founded in 1945 when René Dopff — a former French Resistance fighter — joined forces with the widow of the Irion family, two of Riquewihr's most prominent winegrowing dynasties. René Dopff broke with the old habit of classifying wines strictly by grape variety and instead divided the château's vineyard into four terroir-driven parcels — Les Murailles, Les Sorcières, Les Maquisards and Les Amandiers — renamed in tribute to the Resistance. Today the estate farms roughly 27 hectares around Riquewihr plus 5 hectares at Clos Château d'Isenbourg near Rouffach, with about a third of the vines classified Grand Cru, including parcels in Schoenenbourg, Sporen and Vorbourg. Long recognized as one of Alsace's benchmark producers of Crémant d'Alsace, Dopff & Irion also markets a range of still varietal wines under the Cuvée René Dopff label and holds HVE3 (Haute Valeur Environnementale) and Bee Friendly certifications for its sustainable, low-input (lutte raisonnée) approach to viticulture. Since 1998 the estate has operated under the umbrella of the Pfaffenheim cooperative, and since 2022 its wines have been distributed internationally through a partnership with Grands Chais de France.
www.dopff-irion.com/ ↗Cuvées
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Who Is This For?
For those seeking a historic, château-based Alsace estate whose Crémant d'Alsace and classic varietal wines (Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris) pair effortlessly with everything from apéritif to fine dining.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Dopff & Irion known primarily for Crémant d'Alsace?
- Yes — Dopff & Irion is widely regarded as one of Alsace's benchmark Crémant d'Alsace producers, alongside a full range of still varietal wines from Riesling to Gewürztraminer and Pinot Gris.
- Where is Dopff & Irion located?
- The estate is based at the 16th-century Château de Riquewihr (built 1549) in the village of Riquewihr, one of France's officially designated 'most beautiful villages.'
- How did Dopff & Irion come to be founded?
- It was created in 1945 when René Dopff, a former French Resistance fighter, joined forces with the widow of the Irion family — two of Riquewihr's leading winegrowing families.
- Which Grand Cru vineyards does Dopff & Irion farm?
- The estate holds parcels in the Grand Crus Schoenenbourg and Sporen around Riquewihr, and Vorbourg near Rouffach, accounting for roughly a third of its total vineyard.
- Is Dopff & Irion committed to sustainable viticulture?
- Yes — the estate practices lutte raisonnée (reasoned, low-input viticulture) and holds HVE3 and Bee Friendly certifications for its environmental commitments.