Haroon Rahimi: “I arrived in Paris, France, in March 2016 as an Afghan refugee.”

I started my studies in catering and hospitality two days before Christmas (2016). I knew that I would work in the vineyards and that one day I would make my own wine.

In 2018, I started studying agriculture, vineyard and wine management as an apprentice at Château de l'Ou in the south of France. In 2020, I moved to Alsace. I was an apprentice in the state of Laurent Bannwarth, where in 2022 I produced my first two vintages: 1- Pinot blanc, muscat and cherries, 2- Riesling and cherries. The same year, I rented my first vineyard of 0.25 acres of 75-year-old Gewurztraminer vines.

It was in 2023 that I launched my first vintage (Gewurz, 0.25 are) and the same year I created my own estate in Niedermorschwihr (near Colmar). The state of Harjane (in Farsi means: Universal). I bought a lot of grapes from Stéphane Bannwarth to macerate, vinify and age the wines in stoneware and terracotta jars at the estate. The recipe for my wines is: grapes, grapes... and grapes!

In February 2024 I managed to rent 1.50 hectares (after 3 years of waiting) on the hillsides of Ammerschwihr and Niedermorschwihr. In the vineyards, everything is done manually, with the help of a draft horse and the harvest will always be done by hand. I have always worked according to the principle of biodynamics with plant macerations and treatments with essential oils to reduce the amount of copper and sulfur in the vines. In the vineyards, it is not only the vine that must be taken care of, but the most important thing is life underground. I will have Demeter certification in 2025. In the cellar, all the wines are made without sulfites/additives and without filtration.

This year 2024, I produced 4000 bottles, 80% of my wines come from stoneware, terracotta and Qvevris jars, the rest comes from barrels.

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