Domaine Marcel Deiss Gruenspiel Bergheim, Alsace, France

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From red marl and gravel above Ribeauville (“almost like a mixture of Burg and Engelgarten,” observes Deiss) and a doubtless historical-first blend of one-third each Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Noir, the 2004 Gruenspiel announces itself with high-toned herbal and smoky, meaty and overtly, pungently, alkaline mineral aromatics. Brown-spiced melon and herbs in the mouth retain ore-like, smoky, peppery, and chalky suggestions of minerality. This is almost too alkaline and chalky for its own good today, an impression of austerity only underscored by suggestions of pinot tannins, but Deiss warns that it is all about minerals and needs years to unfold. Certainly this grips with amazing tenacity. Jean-Michel Deiss has been growing some of the finest wines in Alsace for more than a quarter century and with them – as well as with his passionately articulate discourse – capturing the imagination and affection of wine enthusiasts world-wide. But the bearded sage of Bergheim is never satisfied, and beginning in the late eighties, he began to completely re-think his wines and means of truly embracing his terroirs. The result was new acquisitions and plantings to achieve (beginning a decade ago) single-vineyard, field-blend bottling the likes of which had scarcely been seen in Alsace for the better part of a century, and to certain of which the governing authorities have recently been persuaded (perhaps as much by Deiss’ metaphysics of terroir as by the profundity of his vinous results) to grant the status “Grand Cru.” Deiss’ special “vins de terroir” are released only after he judges them to have had sufficient time in bottle to being to show their personalities (with the 2005s only appearing in 2007). Two thousand five, incidentally, was one of the smallest harvests in this estate’s history, and fraught with difficulty, Deiss reports. Even with “varietally-“ labeled wines, Deiss can display unorthodoxy. Time only permitted me a too-brief taste of three from among Deiss’s recent nobly sweet releases, none of which one should even think about drinking for years. A 2004 Gewurztraminer V.T. from the Altenberg and Burg displayed pungent aromatics, great sweetness, and a tactile phenolic presence. I found the new wood on a 2005 Pinot Gris S.G.N. rather intrusive. And while there was no questioning the sheer concentration, viscosity, and sweetness of Deiss’ 2005 Gewurztraminer “Quintessence” – a wine selected berry-by-shriveled berry from the Altenberg and vinified in a tiny tank – it is never easy to judge such elixirs as wine even under the best of conditions. All things considered, I have elected to defer my responsibility for assessing the nobly sweet wines at this address for a later occasion.Importer: Vintus, Pleasantville, NY; tel. (914) 769-3000