2004 ALTENBERG DE BERGHEIM Grand Cru Domaine Marcel Deiss

From a Grand Cru-rated and traditionally great Gewurztraminer site which Deiss has here densely-planted with the entire range of Alsace cepages, his 2004 Altenberg de Bergheim is redolent of honey, lily, baking spices, orange liqueur and citrus zest. With tremendous polish, richness and honeyed botrytis character on the palate, this has an underlying density suggestive of minerality and presumably going far to explain why nearly three-digit residual sugar results in a wine that is certainly sweet but not overbearingly so. Candied citrus, orange liqueur and marmalade, peach preserves, nut paste, honey, and vanilla, along with doughy richness and buttery texture give this wine a patisserie character, if one simply imagines dustings of chalk dust instead of flour. It finishes with remarkable lift and elegance for a wine of such sheer richness.   94/100

Biodynamic. Jean-Michel Deiss is a passionate rebel, who claims terroir is more important than the individual varieties. He persuaded the authorities to allow him to pick and ferment the four noble grapes (Riesling, Gewurtztraminer, Pinot Gris and Muscat) together. This wine has nearly 100 grams of sugar. Exotic apricot and orange nose, rich and totally unorthadox, but fabulous. Drink: 2013-2020 (Freddy Price)   5 Stars