Marcel Deiss Schlossberg Grand Cru 2019
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Suckling
James -
Enthusiast
Wine
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Certified biodynamic. Mostly Riesling + field blend of Alsatian varieties. Very steep, south facing. Granite terroir. Planted between 1977 and 1997. 10,000 vines per ha. Indigenous yeast. Very slow, whole-cluster pressing for up to 12 hours. Fermented and aged in large ancient foudres for 12 months.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Think about setting off for a long hike through the mountains at dawn and how that feels and you’ve got a good idea of how this radical, austere and granitic expression of Alsace Grand Cru tastes. Could be too much for some at this early stage in its life, but just follow the incredibly long crushed-stone finish! A field blend of traditional varieties, focused on riesling. From organically grown grapes with Ecocert certification. Drink or hold.
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Wine Enthusiast
This wine is restrained on the nose, smelling like sun-warmed grape vines and a bit of petrol. It’s lithe on the sip, with notes of Granny Smith and vanilla bean stretching gracefully across the palate, bolstered by fresh acidity. Apple carries into the finish, suggesting that this wine would go great alongside a nice block of aged cheddar.
Other Vintages
2020-
Suckling
James -
Parker
Robert
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
With its fairytale aesthetic, Germanic influence and strong emphasis on white wines, Alsace is one of France’s most unique viticultural regions. This hotly contested stretch of land running north to south on France’s northeastern border has spent much of its existence as German territory. Nestled in the rain shadow of the Vosges mountains, it is one of the driest regions of France but enjoys a long and cool growing season. Autumn humidity facilitates the development of “noble rot” for the production of late-picked sweet wines, Vendange Tardive and Sélection de Grains Nobles.
The best wines of Alsace can be described as aromatic and honeyed, even when completely dry. The region’s “noble” varieties, the only ones permitted within Alsace’s 51 Grands Crus vineyards, are Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Muscat, and Pinot Gris.
Riesling is Alsace’s main specialty. In its youth, Alsace Riesling is dry, fresh and floral, but develops complex mineral and flint character with age. Gewurztraminer is known for its signature spice and lychee aromatics, and is often utilized for late harvest wines. Pinot Gris is prized for its combination of crisp acidity and savory spice as well as ripe stone fruit flavors. Muscat, vinified dry, tastes of ripe green grapes and fresh rose petal.
Other varieties grown here include Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Chasselas, Sylvaner and Pinot Noir—the only red grape permitted in Alsace and mainly used for sparkling rosé known as Crémant d’Alsace. Most Alsace wines are single-varietal bottlings and unlike other French regions, are also labeled with the variety name.