2007 Altenberg de Bergheim

From another site Deiss has planted with the entire range of Alsace cepages, his 2007 Altenberg de Bergheim smells ‘multifariously of gentian, lily-of-the-valley, heliotrope, mint, lavender, citrus oils, and quince preserves. Buoyant, glycerin-rich, and creamy on the palate, it suggests a suffusion of alkaline and chalky minerality that – along with the essences of flowers and herbs – gives this a metaphorically cool, soothing length. Here is a case of truly noble botrytis, responsible for a remarkable sort of concentration but leaving behind no coarse or obvious calling cards. It is also a case of a 2007 more serene and less charged with energy than its 2006 counterpart, but it would be fascinating to compare their very different personalities at subsequent stages of evolution. This should be worth following for at least 15 years. Jean-Michel Deiss has been officially tasked with assisting his fellow Alsace growers in the drafting of new regional regulations and labeling conventions, in keeping with both France’s proposed move to a higher-order French appellation “d’Origine Protegee” and with the potential regional autonomy provided for (if inchoately) by recent EU legislation. As readers can imagine, Deiss’s vision involves a drastically diminished scope and roll for varietal bottling, analogous to his conception of Alsace crus as being best expressed by a blending of multiple cepages. (For more on the evolution of Deiss’s approach, consult my report in issue 175). Two things are indubitable: Alsace could use fresh approaches to labeling and marketing; and any Deiss proposal will have been thought-through all the way down to its historical and metaphysical levels. Deiss’s own line and labeling have been further simplified: beginning with 2006 his lower tier of wines is being bottled without village designations, leaving him more flexibility in blending. Although Deiss did not bottle a full compliment of his crus from the rot-challenged 2006 vintage, he said he was loath to pull back by settling his musts more aggressively of bottling earlier, “because the lees are the megaphone for the terroir.” Fair enough in principle, but the results were to say the least decidedly mixed, whereas Deiss’s 2007s represent a resounding success. (Deiss did not show me his lower-tier 2006s and I did not have chance to ferret any of them out from the marketplace.) Importer: Vintus, Pleasantville, NY; tel. (914) 769-3000