Orschwihr is first recorded in 728, when it was called OTALEESVILARE with reference to "vignes" i.e vineyard. The village and its surrounding were a fief of nobility and of the church from the thirteenth and sixteenth centuries : mostly the Habsbourg and the bishop of Strasbourg.
Orschwihr is surrounded by two hills. One of them is the Pfingstberg, classified Grand Cru. Its reputation dates back to 1299. It is facing the South and the South-East, at an altitude between 250 and 350 metres. It has calcareous and miscellaneous sandstone in the higher part and more clay-sandstone in the lower part. The Pfingstberg is well suited for Riesling and Pinot Gris. The Albrecht are the largest owner of this Grand Cru.
It is the second hill overlooking Orschwihr. It used to be a celt cult place, then a roman one. It has a unique and special microclimate that enables rare and protected species of Mediterranean flora to grow. The subsoil is mostly limestone with some clay. It is perfect for Pinot Blanc, Pinot Auxerrois, Muscat and Gewurztraminer.
Information about Lucien Albrecht