Marcel Deiss - Alsace Grand Cru Schoenenbourg 2020

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

While Jean-Michel Deiss spends a lot of time in his vineyards, it is his son Mathieu who is in charge of winemaking. An engaging winemaker, his sensitivity is evident in the evolution of the wines, particularly the Pinot Noirs, which are more delicate and refined with each vintage. In the whites, maceration trials give thickness and depth to the textures on the palate. A winemaker-entrepreneur, Mathieu has expanded the vineyard from 27 to 45 hectares, including his Vignoble du Rêveur project, which he runs with his partner Emmanuelle Milan. Since 2020, two hectares have been dedicated to the production of vine plants and the estate has acquired its own planting machine, reinforcing its autonomy and control over all aspects of the winegrowing profession.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About wine:

The 2020 Schoenenbourg Grand Cru is deep, precise, and intense, yet refined and salty, with a complex yet pure nose revealing aromas of bitter orange, ripe apricot (stone), and black tea. Full-bodied, generously rich but refined on the palate, with remarkably fine tannins and lasting salinity, this is a powerful, deep, complex and structured Schoenenbourg, yet elegant and long-lasting, beautifully balanced and very long on the palate. 14% alcohol declared with 15.7 grams per liter of residual sugar. Natural cork. Tasted at the estate in April 2024.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About wine:

Still somewhat restrained in its aromatics, Schoenenbourg unfolds with a minty freshness and a nourishing, full-bodied palate. Its earthy expression, without heaviness, explodes on the finish into a myriad of peppery bitter notes: this very great wine will stand the test of time.

About the estate:

Mathieu Deiss has succeeded his father Jean-Michel at the helm of this venerable Bergheim estate. Mixed planting remains the guiding principle, even for the grands crus. Although the process is ancestral in the region, it is still rarely practiced and strongly divides winegrowers. The Deiss family continues to push the boundaries of this approach, producing compelling, complex wines with wonderful intensity of flavor and incredible balance. Mathieu has also created the Vignoble du Rêveur from his mother's vineyards in Bennwihr (where he produces high-quality orange wines, among other things). The wines are unusual for the region, which is a little confusing for consumers, but the result is magnificent. A few years' hindsight allows us to analyze the precision of the terroir definitions and the ability of these wines to manage their own balance. Discover the estate's unique geo-sensory tasting experience, which allows you to understand the relationship between the characteristics of the wine and the terroir where it was born.

Vinous

About wine:

The Schoenenbourg Grand Cru 2020 comes from two plots, one planted with Riesling and the other with an old blend of grape varieties, which inspired Jean-Michel Deiss to plant other blends. The vines are rooted in heavy marl soil resting on a gypsum subsoil. The nose is shy, with only subtle notes of citrus peel and zest, but aeration accentuates the aromatic citrus notes. The palate offers a lovely bitterness of peach skin and the texture of citrus peel, but also a soft and serene peach sweetness. However, the finish is more focused on the terroir than on the fruit. The more it aerates, the more the citrus notes reveal themselves. (Sweet)

James Suckling

About wine:

What an extraordinary and polarizing expression of the great Schoenenbourg terroir! The interplay between floral honey and the earthy, dark character of this wine is extraordinary. This great masterpiece of Alsace white wine stubbornly refuses to conform to the simple categories of dry and semi-dry white wine. On the finish, richness and salty minerality clash. Made from biodynamically grown grapes. Drink now or cellar.

Yves Beck

About wine:

Rather in hibernation mode, the wine reveals notes of flint followed by a few timid but subtle nuances of chamomile complemented by citrus aromas. On the palate, the wine surprises with its breadth and fullness. The palate is better able to set benchmarks and perspectives, but the nose already highlights its potential for complexity. All in all, this is a wine full of ambition. It will need to be given time to develop. 2026-2046 96/100