Domaine Marcel Deiss Riesling Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim 2022
Domaine Marcel Deiss
Jean-Michel Deiss's Altenberg de Bergheim is among Alsace's most profound single-vineyard wines. The 2022 vintage captures the warmth of the season while the limestone-clay terroir provides natural tension. This is a complantation site where multiple grape varieties grow interplanted — an ancient practice that Deiss revived — yielding a wine that transcends varietal character entirely. Serious, contemplative, and built for the long haul, though already deeply rewarding.
Nose
Intensely aromatic with ripe stone fruit, beeswax, and honeyed citrus. A smoky mineral quality rises from the glass, alongside hints of toasted almond and dried herbs. The complexity here is immediate and evolving.
Palate
Rich and texturally dense, with layers of honeycomb, quince, and roasted citrus peel. The palate carries a striking minerality — flinty and almost saline — that cuts through the wine's natural opulence. A touch of marzipan and gentle woody spice appear on the mid-palate.
Finish
Exceptionally long, finishing on smoky honey, citrus zest, and a lingering mineral grip that demands another sip.
- Varietal
- Complantation (Riesling-dominant field blend)
- Blend
- Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Muscat, and others interplanted
- Vineyards
- Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim, limestone-clay soils, south-southeast exposure
- Alcohol
- 13.5%
- Organic / Biodynamic
- No
- Skin Contact
- No
Food Pairing
Roasted lobster with brown butter and saffron risotto
Crafted by Jean-Michel Deiss from his legendary Altenberg de Bergheim grand cru vineyard in Alsace, where ancient complantation — the interplanting of 13 different grape varieties in a single parcel — creates a wine of place rather than varietal.
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