Alexander M. Heer

The Climb

Historical soils, old Greek varieties, and the practical conditions of vineyard work sit near the center of Alexander M. Heer’s practice. As an environmental scientist, he approaches wine with a language drawn from ecology rather than style: "For me natural wine making is antique viticulture." He has also said, "I make wines with emotion, presence as an authentic expression of the place." Taken together, those statements place the work in the older logic of land, season, and site, rather than trend. Within that span, he also produced sparkling wine (2010), a focused chapter that speaks to precision and patience. His path then widened to Thasos (2011), where he reactivated old greek varieties and worked on historical soils, continuing the thread of inquiry that runs through his practice: what survives in the land, what can be revived, and how those elements can still speak in the glass. He also served as oenological consultant and vineyard/cellar management consultant at United States in United States, bringing his practical and scientific perspective into another setting.

Today

Since 2004, he has worked as an environmental scientist, and that discipline remains woven through everything he does. It gives his wine philosophy its particular structure: measured, tactile, and attentive to the living systems that shape flavor. He has framed that philosophy in uncompromising terms: "For me natural wine making is antique viticulture." He has also said, "I make wines with emotion, presence as an authentic expression of the place." The language is concise, but the intent is expansive—wine as a medium for soil, time, and character, not simply as an object of production.

Signature

Alexander's signature dishes include le 7ème sens Pinot Noir ’10 Brut nature, Ktima Kazaviti, and Kioupi II.12. The names themselves suggest the range of his work: one rooted in Pinot Noir and Brut nature expression, the others carrying their own quiet sense of identity and precision. Across them, there is a through line of craftsmanship, restraint, and fidelity to place.

In Their Words “My passion: to produce unique natural wine on living soil with solid craftsmanship, time and knowledge.” “I wanted to make sparkling wines that have the potential to kick out champagne.”

Recognition

His own language points to the center of his craft: "My passion: to produce unique natural wine on living soil with solid craftsmanship, time and knowledge." Another line sharpens the ambition behind his wine making: "I wanted to make sparkling wines that have the potential to kick out champagne." Together, those two statements define a practice built on living soil, technique, and a clear sense of place.