Marcel Deiss Altenberg de Bergheim Grand Cru 2012

Drink now through to 2040. Serve chilled.

Regarded as a maverick and innovator by his fellow Alsatian winemakers, Jean Michel has succeeded in turning his family’s domaine into one of the region’s most sought-after producers since taking over from his father. The Deiss family have been making wine here for generations, and the earliest record of the family in the charming village of Bergheim dates back as far as 1744.

Jean Michel’s unconventional methods have included replanting his Grand Cru sites as field blends with a range of different grape varieties and rediscovering forgotten old Alsatian varieties which are not on the appellation’s authorised list.

This Grand Cru is Jean Michel’s iconic wine which begins life in the magnificent Altenberg vineyard. Here the limestone-rich soils, southern exposure, and especially warm and dry microclimate help to craft an intense, complex wine which is bursting with delicate aromatics and a steely minerality.

The vineyard is planted with a diverse array of varieties, as per Jean Michel’s passion for field blends, which includes Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Muscat à Petit Grain, Riesling, and Gewurztraminer. The result is a richly-layered cuvee with seductive hints of rose petals, citrus zest, and tropical fruit which will deepen and evolve if cellared over the next decade or so.