Domaine de la Joyeuse

History of the Estate

How was your Estate founded? Who founded it? What motivated you?

Daniel Stapurewicz – The Estate was created in 1996. Basically, I am a wine enthusiast and support organic farming, which was marginal at that time. 
I live in an old wine-producer’s house in Ars with a beautiful, vaulted cellar and had an idea, which then proceeded to grow and take root to create a small vineyard for my own consumption. I therefore bought and planted 0.2 acres of vines in the locality of La Joyeuse (the Joyful). They have a saying there that “The Joyfuls come home peacefully and goes out joyfully,” their symbol is a dove, which we also represent on our bottles. I had the opportunity to buy a small piece of land next to the house to build my cellar, our first building for wine production. My son Arnaud and I are currently building a new winery in Ancy-sur-Moselle. That way we have something to pass on to the next generation. 
Viticulture is special, it is ingrained in us. For me it is all about being proud of creating something that leaves its mark.

What training do you have?

DS - I initially worked as an electro-mechanical technician, this comes in handy for wine production, as we need to have a varied skillset. I took a vocational diploma in agriculture in Beaune (Burgundy) in 1998, which was necessary to start working.

Wine tourism services

What wine tourism services do you provide on the Estate?

DS - We organise guided tours of the vineyard and cellars and will be able to accommodate more people in our new building in Ancy.

Projects

What future plans do you have for your Estate? 

DS - Our conference hall and tasting room in Ancy-sur-Moselle are virtually finished. A wine production building is currently being built next to this with underground cellars. These new buildings will create a specific area to welcome customers. In an ideal world, I would like to have a little stock, like a few bottles of pinot noir that date back a few years.

Current situation

What is your Estate’s surface area and geographic situation?
DS - I have 8.6 acres of vines in Ancy-sur-Moselle, and the localities of La Joyeuse, La Blanche vigne and Le Climont. In Ars-sur-Moselle, we have vines in Aux Roches locality. Most of them are South/East facing or just South facing. The surface area is constantly evolving as we keep planting new vines.

Could you tell us about your production? What sort of products do you sell on the Estate? How much do you produce, how many bottles?

DS - I produce 8,000 a year, which is not enough to meet demand.
In 2000, I sold 600 bottles from my first 0.2 acres. In 2002, it increased to 2500 bottles, I also applied for organic certification at this time, which I obtained in 2005. 
Our main PDO varieties are auxerrois, pinot gris, pinot noir, and muller thurgau.

We also produce a pinot noir rosé with gamay grapes. 

How would you describe the three wines you have selected? 

DS - The first is a 2020 pinot gris, which is a dry and rich Moselle white with fruity aromas. It is the perfect wine to accompany fish and seafood dishes, as well as white meats and even a strong Munster cheese.

The second is a 2020 Moselle red pinot noir with an intense and vivid colour, open nose, and a strong fruity taste. It has a very slight woody taste with a rich and powerful palate, as well as a beautiful structure with a little astringency that is barely noticeable. It is well suited for meat dishes and cheese.

The third is a 2020 white Moselle auxerrois with a pleasant, dry, complex, and unique nose. It has amylic, fruity notes and a rich, dry, fresh, and well-balanced taste. It is well suited for white meat dishes, sauerkraut, and hot melted cheese dishes.