Alsace Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim Verticale 3 millésimes 2004 - 2007 - 2015 Marcel Deiss (Domaine) (no reserve)

Lot presentation

Alsace Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim Verticale 3 millésimes 2004 - 2007 - 2015 Marcel Deiss (Domaine) (no reserve)

The wine

Altenberg is the very symbol of the work of Jean-Michel Deiss who always strives for an expression of terroir over grape variety. It is here that his faith in Alsace’s fine wine took deep root in the soil of Bergheim. This chalk and marl terroir is found at the heart of Ribeauvillé’s geological faults, an area rich in fossils and clay-chalk soil where the vines have to dig deep to draw energy from the earth. Altenberg’s micro-climate, the result of its exposure to the south and its isolation facing the Rhine plain, is very warm and dry. The maturity achieved by these grapes, often exacerbated by noble rot, is remarkable. This wine brings together the old, Alsace tradition with the culture of fine, ageing wine which, during the Middle Ages, made possible the huge efforts in growing of which modern-day Alsace is the result.

About the Producer Marcel Deiss

Jean-Michel Deiss, (the son of Marcel Deiss, who established the property in 1949) currently manages the 27 hectares of vines, which are planted on some of Alsace's finest terroirs, including the grand cru Altenburg de Bergheim. Jean-Michel Deiss grows his vines according to biodynamic principles, a philosophy that prohibits any form of chemical treatment and combines an understanding of cosmic rhythms with work on the soil and the vines. The objective? To encourage the vines to develop as deep a root system as possible in the subsoil, thereby giving full expression to the terroir. Despite being an acknowledged master of the art of making single varietal wines such as Pinot Gris and Riesling, this exceptional winegrower has waged a veritable campaign against the traditional Alsace approach of regarding the grape variety as the essence of the wine, and granting negligible importance to the terroir. Thus he has reintroduced ancestral practices such as mixed planting of all of the traditional varieties (Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris) on the same plot, with no sorting at the harvest. The terroir then comes to the forefront, free to fully express itself without the omnipresent constraint of a single variety. After years of campaigning, Jean-Michel Deiss finally succeeded in obtaining authorisation for the application of the terms "Grand Cru" and "Premier Cru" (previously reserved for traditional cuvées) to these "vins de terroir". The names of the grape varieties have not appeared on the labels since 2005. . His son, Matthieu Deiss, who also owns Vignoble du Rêveur has taken over the reins.
More information : Read the article about domain Marcel Deiss on the blog