If you’re looking for a signpost for Domaine Goldbierg in Remich, you won’t find one. This small, family-run winery, boasting beautiful vineyards overlooking the valley, relies on word of mouth to attract visitors. KACHEN met with Claude Kox to learn more about this hidden gem.
Benoît and Claude Kox are the dynamic father–son duo at the helm of Domaine Goldbierg. Benoît, an experienced winegrower with a passion for his profession, has been in the business for 45 years now. For 20 years, he was the sole owner of his (barely two-hectare) domaine. As for Claude, winegrowing wasn’t initially on his career radar. “After leaving school, I didn’t particularly want to work in the vineyards, although I liked it, so I went to study finance,” he says. He then spent five years working in start-up financing in Switzerland, before returning to Luxembourg. Although he’d never wanted to work in the wine industry, he had always wanted to set up his own business. And so, in 2020, he took the plunge and launched Domaine Goldbierg – Benoît & Claude together with his father. “I’d never have dared do it without my father and all his experience,” admits the young entrepreneur, who, five years on, still has no regrets about his career change. Over the years, he has acquired in-depth knowledge through close collaboration with his father and his team [Editor’s note: four of them in total]. “I’ve also learned a great deal from talking to other young winegrowers in the region,” he adds.
Claude firmly believes in the power of co-operation between winegrowers and the need for this: “It’s quite clear that as small producers we have to find ways to reduce our costs.” For example, Domaine Goldbierg shares its production facilities with other winegrowers, enabling them to share the costs of purchasing machinery. “It’s a win-win situation for everybody.”
Classic wines and new releases
With five hectares of vineyards at Domaine Goldbierg, father and son produce between 20,000 and 25,000 bottles a year. “Half of our production is crémant, made from Pinot Noir grapes for our crémant rosé and from Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Pinot Gris, Riesling grapes for our other crémant,” says Claude.
For red wine lovers, since 2020, Benoît and Claude have also been offering a red wine made from Merlot grapes and partly aged in oak barrels.
To satisfy the summer demand for ‘lively’ wines, Claude and his father also produce a rosé from Syrah grapes. Of course, the classics Pinot Gris, Riesling and straw wine also feature on Domaine Goldbierg’s wine list. “We already have a few more in the pipeline, but don’t want our wine list to get too big,” he says with a smile. “For us, quality always takes precedence over quantity.”
Wine tasting with a view
Events are Claude’s platform of choice when it comes to marketing his wines. “I modelled my approach on what my father had done before me – he always travelled a lot to promote his wine at trade fairs and other events,” says Claude.
But right from the outset of the family venture, Claude was also keen for the estate to have a dedicated place for tasting its wines. In summer 2020, a wine bar and restaurant were therefore opened on site. “We wanted to offer people good food and good wine in a beautiful place close to nature.”
The terrace, from which you can enjoy sweeping views of the valley, vineyards and surrounding countryside, is the perfect place to sit back and relax – especially with a glass of good wine in your hand.
In the restaurant, the chef serves ‘Flammekueche’ (a thin-crust pizza typical of the region) and charcuterie boards throughout the afternoon, as well as a variety of dishes at lunchtime. “We choose our suppliers very carefully. For example, we get our cheeses from a dairy farm in Berdorf, who are working with us to create speciality cheeses.” On special occasions, the Argentinian chef cooks ‘asados’ (beef marinated and cooked for many hours) on a giant barbecue: “They’re wonderful events, a great opportunity for guests to come and eat with us and taste our wines, all by the glow of the fire.”
Claude is still bubbling over with ideas for new events. “The sky’s the limit,” he says enthusiastically. “Music festivals, tastings in museums, gourmet walks… The possibilities are endless.”
From May to October, the terrace attracts locals in the know and hikers and tourists who have found their way to the vineyard. So why not visit Remich this spring, and savour the breathtaking wine landscape over a glass of fine Domaine Goldbierg wine.
Benoît & Claude Viticulteurs
33 Um Goldbierg
L-5574 Remich
benoitclaude.lu
