Domaine Marcel Deiss - Sélections de Grains Nobles Gewurztraminer 2006 (375ml)
Price: $64.99
| Producer | Domaine Marcel Deiss |
| Country | France |
| Region | Alsace |
| Varietal | Gewurztraminer |
| Vintage | 2006 |
| Sku | 69609 |
| Size | 375ml |
 |
Domaine Marcel Deiss Description
No one will argue that Deiss is among the top two or three domaines of Alsace. As to the rest, Jean-Michel Deiss is what the French call, a fouteur de merde, a shit-stirrer. After an old man on his deathbed entrusted him with one of Alsace's gems, the Schoenenbourg vineyard, Jean-Michel found that it was planted to an old field blend or “co-plantation.” He soon realized that this was the missing link in his quest for great wine and he replanted every single one of his top vineyards to such blends. Though this had once been the norm in Alsace, by the time Jean-Michel planted his grand crus to field blends, it was a technique reserved to lowly wines. Then, he took on the Alsatian cru system. Too many grand crus, and too large at that, but no premier crus was idiotic, he thought, and he self-appointed seven of his top vineyards “premier crus.” When you taste them, it makes crystalline sense, but this is technically an illegal practice and Jean-Michel has been battling the authorities ever since. His latest concern is to have ancient but currently illegal Alsatian varieties added to the list of authorized grapes. A troublemaker indeed, but the wines are absolutely magical.
Wine Advocate: 96 Points
Reflecting a berry-by-berry selection, Deiss’s 2006 Gewurztraminer Selection De Grains Nobles Quintessence features quince preserves and honey mingled with rose petal, gardenia, resin, and brown spices on the nose and creamy, practically weightless palate, onto which caramel, nut paste, and butterscotch notes flow without disturbing a remarkable sense of clarity to nuances of floral perfume and spice. Here is another example of botrytis concentration entirely free of any dross or fungal fingerprints. The finish is like an aurora borealis of nuanced flavors, and you get so caught up in it that sweetness is the last thing you notice. It’s important for the character of a wine like this, explains Deiss, that there are tiny non-botrytis berries in the mix as well, even in a vintage like 2006 where he describes the condition of the fruit as “fatigued.” In this instance, they wore themselves out in a good cause! No doubt this will be enthralling to follow for 30-40 years.
