Marcel Deiss Schoffweg 2017
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Suckling
James -
Spectator
Wine -
Enthusiast
Wine -
Parker
Robert
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
A field blend of Alsatian varieties. The “sheep’s path”, leading into Grasberg at the top of the Altenberg de Bergheim. East facing, with strong winds. A thin slab of Aalenian limestone perched above the plains. The extension of the hillrock of Altenberg de Bergheim. Planted in 1997. 12,000 vines per ha. Indigenous yeast. Very slow, wholecluster pressing for up to 12 hours. Fermented and aged in barrel for 12 months. Certified biodynamic.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Rich and concentrated, yet bright and quite tense, this striking dry white effortlessly marries opposites, and it’s still only just coming to its best. With aeration, hibiscus and wild-rose notes emerge. Long, graceful finish with quite some complexity. A co-fermented field-blend of varieties. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.
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Wine Spectator
A distinctive, inviting white with quinine bitter almond skin edge expertly offsetting warm honey, spiced apple, green fig and beeswax. Rich and layered, with intriguing earthiness wafting through with good length. Riesling, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Auxerrois.
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Wine Enthusiast
Anise, honeydew and toast mix in a tantalizing aroma. Light and delicate, the palate of this wine carries flavors of lemon cream and, again, slightly burnt toast. Although quite culinary, this wine would come up a little delicate alongside a meal. Pour it before dinner to get excited about things to come.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Schoffweg "Le chemin des brebis" is very clear, elegant and aromatic on the nose that is stylistically much more Alsace than Burgundy. Rich and intense on the palate, this is a powerful, tight and very concentrated Schoffweg that is pretty alcoholic, quite bitter and astringent on the finish. 14.17% alcohol. Natural cork.
Other Vintages
2018-
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.