In May 2014, Jean-Baptiste Adam and his family celebrated the 400th anniversary of their family being grape growers and winemakers in Ammerschwihr.
Throughout the centuries the family of Adam grew grapes, made wine, sold wine locally and sold wine in foreign lands. They survived the Thirty Years War (1618-1648), the Valois and Bourbon dynasties, the French Revolution, the Napoleonic wars, annexation by Germany and back to France, WWI, WWII, famine, disease, you name it. The family has a history of being leaders in their little hamlet, from nearly all of them serving on the town council to some of them elected Mayor of Ammerschwihr.
Taking the reins from his father, Jean-Marie, in 1996, Jean-Baptiste V began managing the winery. He started working at the winery in 1982, at the age of 21, after finishing studies of wine, enology, and marketing. Soon after taking charge of the company, he modernized the winery and expanded it to create a processing and storage facility for the production of Crémant. In 2003, he embraced the practices of biodynamic agriculture wholeheartedly. In keeping with the family tradition of leading, Jean-Baptiste is now considered one of the leaders of biodynamic farming practices in Alsace.
Jean-Baptiste’s daughter, Laure, is now the 15th generation to work in the family business. Armed with a BS in Viticulture and Enology, a Wine and Commerce license, and a Master’s degree in Wine Management & Marketing, she is an integral part of the business. She manages all things marketing for the winery.
Jean-Baptiste Adam produces wines of elegance, balance, minerality and longevity.
Country | France |
Region | ALSACE |
Appellation(s) | AOP ALSACE – AOP CREMANT D’ALSACE- AOP ALSACE GRAND CRU -AOP VENDANDES TARDIVES- AOP SELECTION DE GRAINS NOBLES |
Proprietors | JEAN-BAPTISTE ADAM |
Founded | 1614 |
Winemaker | JEAN-BAPTISTE ADAM |
Annual Production | 600 000 to 800 000 BOTTLES |
Farming (Sustainable, organic, biodynamic) | ORGANIC AND BIODYNAMIC CERTIFIED ORAGNIC AND DEMETER |
The winery owns 17 hectares (42 acres) and farms another 4 hectares (10 acres) of vineyards, all farmed biodynamically. The grapes from the vineyards they farm go into the les Natures and Le Grands Vins selections.
Their vineyards are well established as biodynamic, including the famed Grand Cru, Kaefferkopf. This vineyard sits on a steep slope just south of Ammerschwihr. From Kaefferkopf grapes, Adam makes a revered wine of elegance, balance and minerality with excellent aging potential. At 38 years of age, the 1976 was still drinking beautifully at the 400th anniversary. Adam’s finest wines come from the Kaefferkopf vineyard.
WINERY
With an annual average total production of 54,000 cases of still wine and 11,000 cases of Crémant, JB Adam offers a range of price and quality levels, Les Traditions, Les Réserves, Le Cuvées Jean-Baptiste Adam, les Natures, Le Grands Vins de Jean-Baptiste Adam, and Les Vendanges Tardives and Sélection Grains Nobles.
All grapes are hand harvested. Fermentations are all from naturally occurring yeast. In an effort to maintain the purity of the fruit in his wines, Jean-Baptiste discards the first and last parts of pressing the grapes, retaining only the juice from the cour (heart) of the pressing.
Wine | Blend | Vine Age | Soil Type | Vineyard Area ha or acres |
Total = 88 acres | ||||
Pinot Blanc Nature | Pinot Blanc | Planted 1975 – 2010 | Granite | 7 acres |
Pinot Blanc Reserve | Pinot Blanc | Planted 1975 – 2010 | Chalk & Granite | 10 acres |
Riesling Nature | Riesling | Planted 1975 – 2010 | Granite | 5 acres |
Riesling Reserve | Riesling | Planted 1975 – 2010 | Granite & Loess | 9 acres |
Pinot Gris Nature | Pinot Gris | Planted 1975 – 2010 | Granite | 4.5 acres |
Pinot Gris Reserve | Pinot Gris | Planted 1975 – 2010 | Granite & Loess | 9 acres |
Gewurztraminer Nature | Gewurztraminer | Planted 1975 – 2010 | Granite | 3.5 acres |
Gewurztraminer Reserve | Gewurztraminer | Planted 1975 – 2010 | Granite & Loess | 9 acres |
Pinot Noir Nature | Pinot Noir | Planted 1975 – 2010 | Granite | 3 acres |
Cremant d’Alsace “les Natures” | Pinot Blanc (40%), Chardonnay (30%), Pinot Blanc (30%) | Planted 1975 – 2010 | Granite | 2 acres |
Cremant d’Alsace Rosé | Pinot Noir | Planted 1975 – 2010 | Granite | 6 acres |
Cremant d’Alsace Brut | Pinot Blanc (90%), Pinot Noir (10%) | Planted 1975 – 2010 | Clay & limestone | 10 acres |
Cremant d’Alsace Emotion Brut | Chardonnay (95%), Pinot Noir (5%) | Planted 1975 – 2010 | Clay & limestone | 2 acres |
Pinot l’Auxerrois Vieilles Vignes | Pinot Auxerrois | Planted 1959, 1970 | Granite & clay | 2.5 acres |
Riesling Kaefferkopf Grand Cru | Riesling | Planted 1955, 1956 | Granite & limestone | 3.4 acres |
Riesling Letzenberg | Riesling | Planted 1984 | Heavy clay with limestone gravel and limestone sub-soil | 3 acres |
Riesling Wineck Schlossberg Grand Cru | Riesling | Planted 1976 | Granite (muscovite & biotite micas) | 0.5 acres |
Pinot Gris Letzenberg | Pinot Gris | Planted 1985 | Clay & limestone | 2.2 acres |
Gewurztraminer Kaefferkopf Vieilles Vignes | Gewurztraminer | Planted 1955, 1965 | Granite & limestone | 3 acres |
Pinot Gris Vendanges Tardive | Pinot Gris | Planted 1985 | Clay & limestone | N/A |
Pinot Gris SGN | Pinot Gris | Planted 1985 | Clay & limestone | N/A |
Our wines
- Crèmant "les Natures" - NV
- Crèmant d'Alsace Brut - NV
- Crèmant d'Alsace Brut Emotion - NV
- Crèmant d'Alsace Brut Rosé - NV
- Gewurztraminer Kaefferkopf Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru - 2014
- Gewurztraminer Kaefferkopf Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru - 2018
- Pinot Blanc "les Natures" - 2016
- Pinot Blanc "les Natures" - 2019
- Pinot Blanc "les Natures" - 2020
- Pinot Gris Letzenberg - 2014
- Pinot Gris Reserve – 2018
- Pinot Noir "les Natures" - 2016
- Pinot Noir "les Natures" - 2019
- Riesling "les Natures" - 2018
- Riesling "les Natures" - 2019
- Riesling "les Natures" - 2020
- Riesling "les Natures" - 2021
- Riesling Kaefferkopf Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru - 2016
- Riesling Kaefferkopf Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru - 2017
- Riesling Kaefferkopf Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru - 2018
- Riesling Letzenberg - 2014
- Riesling Letzenberg - 2015
- Riesling Reserve - 2018
- Riesling Reserve - 2019
- Riesling Vendanges Tardives - 2017
- Riesling Wineck-Schlossberg Grand Cru - 2014
- Riesling Wineck-Schlossberg Grand Cru - 2017
- Riesling Wineck-Schlossberg Grand Cru - 2018
- Sec Si - 2018
- Sec Si - 2019
- Sec Si - 2020
- Sec Si - 2021
Reviews by wine
- Riesling Wineck-Schlossberg Grand Cru - 2018
- Riesling Wineck-Schlossberg Grand Cru - 2017
- Riesling Wineck-Schlossberg Grand Cru - 2014
- Riesling Letzenberg - 2015
- Riesling Letzenberg - 2014
- Riesling Kaefferkopf Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru - 2018
- Riesling Kaefferkopf Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru - 2017
- Riesling Kaefferkopf Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru - 2016
- Riesling "les Natures" - 2019
- Pinot Gris Letzenberg - 2014
- Pinot Blanc "les Natures" - 2019
- Gewurztraminer Kaefferkopf Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru - 2018
- Gewurztraminer Kaefferkopf Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru - 2014
- Crèmant d'Alsace Brut Rosé - NV
- Crèmant d'Alsace Brut Emotion - NV
- Crèmant d'Alsace Brut - NV
- Crèmant "les Natures" - NV