2008 Marcel Deiss Altenberg de Bergheim Grand Cru
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Tasting notes
The golden-colored 2008 Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim offers an intense, elegant, aromatic and concentrated bouquet of perfectly ripe fruit aromas intertwined with hay, meadow, orange and lemon-peel flavors. Rich, sweet, fresh and elegant, with fine tannins and a lingering salinity, this is a gorgeously balanced and stimulating Altenberg that reveals a nice purity, mineral freshness and stimulating (tannin) grip. It is a gorgeous wine that tastes perfect today, but could age for 30+ years. This is a charming and highly elegant Altenberg.
Critic scores
Jancis Robinson MW
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
70% Riesling. Lots of sweetness. Not a lot of acid? Bright, floral and pithy. (JR)
(this very densely planted vineyard includes all the Alsace varieties) Bright, pale yellow-gold. Sensational nose combines tangy orange peel, licorice, lemon grass, spices and caraway seed. Compellingly silky and opulent on the palate, with outstanding concentration and precision to the flavors of pineapple, soft citrus fruits, exotic spices and botanical herbs. Perfectly integrated acidity and some unabsorbed CO2 contribute to the impression of sappiness. The endless rising finish leaves the palate vibrating. I'm not yet convinced that all of Deiss's "premier cru" vins de terroir have distinctive enough site character to routinely justify separate bottling, but his grand crus Altenberg de Bergheim and Schoenenbourg, from very densely planted holdings, are consistently two of Alsace's most exciting wines.