Whatever its origin, the Traminer has been planted throughout Alsace since the beginning of the 18th century. In Heiligenstein, part of the “Au” hill was reserved for him and had a soil type ideal for growing Savagnin Rose. But these lands, belonging to the Bishopric of Strasbourg, were occupied by meager pastures at the disposal of Heiligenstein and the neighboring villages, which therefore had to be dislodged. It was not easy, and the proceedings, petitions, trials followed one after the other. It was finally Ehret Wantz, then bourgmestre of the village, who was able to convince the Echevins de Strasbourg in 1742, then assembled in Grand Council. They finally authorized the extension of the vineyard on part of the “Au”.

Given the high quality of the wine obtained, the Echevins granted in 1753 a new extension of the vineyard. But the text already stipulated that the tithe should henceforth be paid in Klevener de Heiligenstein and no longer in current wines: it was worth more than double! The neighboring municipalities, opposed to any further reduction in pasture, sent their herds to graze in the vineyards! It should be noted that at that time, and throughout Europe, we were witnessing this phenomenon of “privatization” of the commons, vain pastures and other Allmend. It was the victory of intensive farming over ancient practices which allowed everyone (and more particularly the modest and landless people) to graze their cow or their three goats on collective lands which the villagers shared.

In parallel with this movement, and throughout the Alsatian vineyard, the traminer was losing ground to its eternal competitor, the gewurztraminer, which gradually took its place almost everywhere in the vineyard. The wars and German occupations having made abandon this grape variety with low yield, the Klevener of Heiligenstein knew a significant decline at the beginning of the 20th century. This grape variety was on the verge of disappearing, since in 1970 only 3 ha of Klevener remained in production. Heiligenstein winemakers, aware of the threat and fortified by the past splendor of this production, asked the INAO for recognition. It was granted to them by the decree of June 30, 1971 supplementing the 1945 ordinance which defined the status of Alsace wines. But it was not until the decree of February 4, 1997 that the delimitation of the Alsace – Klevener de Heiligenstein AOC was finally approved.