Vive la Liberté: Freely embracing innovation while breaking away from tradition
This 18-hectare winery was born from the love story of Charles and Amélie.
Charles Sparr is the 8th generation of the Sparr family. His great-grandfather, Pierre Sparr, expanded the brand "Pierre Sparr" internationally, managing 35 hectares of vineyards while sourcing grapes from approximately 120 hectares.
Amélie, born in Alsace, comes from a family of winemakers with seven generations of history.
The two met at a wine fair in 2010, fell in love, and eventually merged their family vineyards. In 2017, they established Domaine Amélie & Charles Sparr, marking the beginning of a new chapter in their winemaking journey.
Their winemaking journey was a bold challenge: crafting 100% biodynamic Alsace wines.
Amélie, from a winemaking family, and Charles, from a wine merchant lineage, launched their own winery with the 2017 vintage, blending their family expertise.
Charles, passionate about organic and biodynamic farming since his student days, gained experience abroad and learned from Amélie’s parents, who transitioned their vineyard to biodynamics in 2003.
They began organic conversion in 2014, obtained certification in 2017, and achieved biodynamic certification in 2019.
Key biodynamic preparations 500, 501, and 500P are used to maintain the balance between the soil and the vines.
Charles has a deep interest in this field and regularly exchanges insights with Burgundy winemakers, continuously expanding his knowledge and expertise.
Charles and Amélie enhance the vineyard's ecosystem by installing bird nests in beehives and planting numerous trees throughout the estate, fostering a more holistic balance.
In both the vineyard and the cellar, all tasks are carried out in accordance with the lunar calendar.
Over 13 different plants are used to naturally protect the vines:
• Nettle (May): Enhances the vine’s natural immunity and acts as a fertilizer.
• Horsetail, Meadowsweet : Very rich in Silica they provide a better protection against downy mildew and powdery mildew.
• Chamomile (veraison period): Promotes sugar formation.
• Dandelion (late veraison): Functions similarly to silica, enhancing polyphenol maturity.
• Mint, Lavender, Rosemary: Repel pests during flowering.
The vineyard is left unpruned, with the young shoot tips manually secured.
Depending on the vintage’s climatic conditions, different plants are strategically used to minimize disease risks.
Horse plowing, enhancing the Terroir’s Footprint & Reducing Soil Compaction
Using old plowing methods to reduce soil compaction.
In total 2 hectares are plowed by horse.
"Charles is the 12th generation of the Sparr family, which dates back to the 12th century and has Scandinavian roots. In 2007 the Pierre Sparr brand and company were sold to the Cooperative of Beblenheim, but Charles Sparr kept the 12 hectares of vineyards. Sparr completed his studies in oenology and marketing and then worked for two years in Napa at Pernod-Ricard; he came back to Alsace in 2010 and worked the family vineyards, starting the conversion over to biodynamic agriculture (his wines were certified Ecocert organic in 2017 and will be officially Demeter biodynamic certified in 2019). Charles met his wife, Amelie, in 2010 at a wine fair (where else do wine people meet?) and they decided to work together and create a new wine estate. They make all their wines in Wettolsheim at the Vignoble des 2 Lunes winery (previously known as Buecher-Fix, Amelie’s family winery). The Amelie & Charles Sparr estate was founded in 2017, and it vinifies all the grapes from the Sparr vineyards, while the Vignoble des 2 Lunes bottles the wines that used to go under the Buecher-Fix label."
— Ian D'Agata, Vinous
Monday - Friday 10:00am - 6:00pm
Saturday 10:30am - 4:00pm
Closed Sundays and all public holidays
Orakei Bay Village
Tenancy 7, 228 Orakei Road
Remuera, Auckland 1050
New Zealand
Ph: +64 9 529 0935