Domaine Marcel Deiss: Alsatian Wines of Distinction

Hey Hard Grubbers. As the other contributors know, I have a particular affection for wine(and it pays my bills!). I have been fully convinced of the European model that wine is not just a beverage, but a foodstuff. Part of the meal and more so a part of the mini celebration that every meal is. Obviously in these fast paced, instant gratification, on-demand times not every meal can be joined by a bottle, and not every bottle a meal, but.....

On Thursday morning I was privileged to meet and taste with Mathieu Deiss, third generation winemaker at Domaine Marcel Deiss (Marcel was great grandpops) in Bergheim, Alsace, France. A young man about your age who explained the domaine's firm commitment to expressing terrior as opposed to varietal charecteristics. Terrior, of which there is no perfect English translation is essentially the coming together of the soil, climate and grapevines in the bottle to suggest a sense of place and perspective. I realize it sounds like some kinda flowery prose, but sometimes tasting a wine, it absolutely smacks you over the head with richness of flavor, texture, amazing aroma, crisp fruit and a togetherness that suggests "there's NO WAY someone could figure out how to make this! It's gotta be a splendid, sublime accident of the highest caliber..." and that's just it..the non-interventionist techniques used by producers such as Deiss are merely the vessel to put forth wine that sings about its origins.

The wines were impressive across the board, but the Premier and Grand Cru's are really the superstars. The entry level stuff is all single varietal (one grape) and covered the traditional Alsatian grapes: Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Muscat d'alsace. Each was from a different vintage (2004-2007) and each was varietally correct, but not in a loud in your face kinda way. More of a TLC situation to preserve the delicateness and freshness. These are all delicious and affordable, but on the big guns...

The nicer wines are the ones named after their place of origin. No distinction is made to quantify the blend for the public, as these are wines whose character is totally a product of a specific vineyard site. Much like Burgundy, the quality production sites in Alsace have been well known and locally documented for hundreds of years (Shout to Carthusian and Benedictine monks for starting that trend) and so these aren't simply stumbled upon names. They are carefully chosen and the best fruit goes in to the blends (using numerous varieties apiece just as traditional Alsatian field blends were).

Englegarten 2003--(from the Angel Garden, get it?) Super young for a white wine that's already 5 years old. Has the color of dark hay. Seriously fruity, but with a richness that danced on the tongue. And then the finish: amazing. A hint of acid to confirm structure but just tons of peach and lychee and apricot... Please sir. A bit more if you don't mind..

Schoffsweg 2002- whoa! Seriously looking like liquid gold! Plush and full of delicate fruit (getting some riesling here..) but with more citrusy acid than the Englegarten. Crushed minerals lingered on the tongue and it smells like acacia and wet stone. A bohemoth that probably has YEARS to go until it's at its' finest. Unfortunatley this one's pretty much outta the market. Too bad, but it's too expensive for most Grubbers everyday wine needs, but there is such a thing as a special occasion...

Anyway, the point of this first wine post is just to let you know where I'm coming from in my wine preferences and hopefully suggest places you might want to try adding to yours....