21715 customer reviews

Domaine Marcel Deiss - Alsace Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim 2004

Name: Domaine Marcel Deiss - Alsace Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim 2004
Brand: Marcel Deiss Estate
Rating: 3.3 (3 reviews)

Alsace Grand Cru|White wine

3.3/5 (3 customers)

98/100

RVF

18,5/20

Bettane & Desseauve

94/100

Robert Parker

complantation

elegant

grand cru

"A wine with exceptional aging potential. (Bettane+Desseauve)"

"[...] His 2004 Altenberg de Bergheim glows with notes of honey, lilies, baking spices, orange liqueur, and citrus zest. On the palate, the wine displays an underlying density that evokes minerality [...]. Candied citrus, orange liqueur, marmalade, peach jam, nut paste, honey, and vanilla, along with the richness of the dough and the texture of butter, give this wine a pastry-like character—if one simply imagines chalk dust in place of flour. It finishes with remarkable refinement and elegance for a wine of such richness.” (Wine Advocate)

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21715 reviews

-20€

Starting at €99 on your first order

Estate

Domaine Marcel Deiss

Vintage

Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim

Vintage

2004

Designation

Alsace Grand Cru

Region

Alsace

Grape Varieties

Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer

Regions

Located in the heart of a geological fault zone where hard Jurassic limestone meets Lias marl, facing due south

Viticulture

Biodynamic farming: tilling the vineyards, no chemicals

Grape Harvest

100% manual

Wine Production

Traditional, with the utmost respect for the terroirs

Livestock Farming

Aged on the lees in oak casks for 12 months

Alcohol content

12%

Residual sugars

55 g/L

Eye

Amber color with yellow highlights

Nose

Complex, powerful, and vibrant, with intense fruitiness—a perfect balance between citrus zest and acacia honey, between the fiery bitterness of exotic fruits and the blazing intensity of lemon

Palate

Fresh and lively, powerful and smooth, with plenty of minerality

Serve

Decant at 12°C

Open

1 hour before serving

Drink starting at

2008

Drink before

2050

Food and Wine Pairings

Enjoy it with fresh or pan-seared foie gras, honey-lemon chicken, or mildly spicy Thai cuisine...

More information at Domaine Marcel Deiss

More information at Alsace

Bettane & Desseauve

Wine rated 18.5/20 (Wine of exceptional quality)

Rated estate (2023 guide): 5*Stars (Exceptional producers who represent the absolute pinnacle of quality in France and around the world)

About the wine:

The Altenberg, the estate’s first grand cru, is powerful, smooth, and very deep, offering an almost perfect expression of the terroir’s minerality. A wine with exceptional aging potential.

About the estate:

While Jean-Michel Deiss spends a great deal of time in his vineyards, it is his son Mathieu who oversees the winemaking process. An engaging winemaker, his sensibility is evident in the evolution of the wines—particularly the Pinot Noirs, which become more delicate and refined with each vintage. For the whites, experiments with maceration lend body and depth to the textures on the palate. As both a winemaker and an 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 grapevines, and the estate has acquired its own planting machine, strengthening its autonomy and mastery of all aspects of winemaking.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

Wine rated 94/100 (Wonderful wine)

About the wine:

Hailing from a Grand Cru-classified vineyard—traditionally renowned for Gewürztraminer—which Deiss has densely planted with the full range of Alsatian grape varieties, his 2004 Altenberg de Bergheim glows with notes of honey, lily, baking spices, orange liqueur, and citrus zest. On the palate, the wine displays an underlying density that evokes minerality and likely explains in large part why a residual sugar level nearing three digits results in a wine that is certainly sweet, but not overly so. Candied citrus, orange liqueur, marmalade, peach jam, walnut paste, honey, and vanilla, along with the richness of the dough and the texture of butter, give this wine a pastry-like character—if one simply imagines chalk dust in place of flour. It finishes with remarkable finesse and elegance for a wine of such richness.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide to the Best Wines of France

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

Wine rated (2008 guide) 98/100

Rated estate (2024 guide): 4*Stars (These represent the pinnacle of French winemaking. The finest terroirs cultivated by the greatest winemakers. Tasting their wine is always a magical experience)

About the estate:

Mathieu Deiss has succeeded his father, Jean-Michel, as head of this venerable estate in Bergheim. Mixed planting remains the guiding principle, even for the grands crus. Although this method is a time-honored tradition in the region, it is still rarely practiced and remains a source of deep division among winemakers. The Deiss family continues to push the boundaries of this approach, producing compelling, complex wines with marvelous intensity of flavor and incredible balance. Mathieu has also created the Vignoble du Rêveur from his mother’s vineyards in Bennwihr (where he produces, among other things, top-tier orange wines). The wines are exceptional for the region, which can be a bit disorienting for consumers, but the result is magnificent. With a few years of hindsight, one can analyze the precision of the terroir definitions and these wines’ ability to maintain their own balance. Don’t miss the estate’s unique geo-sensory tasting experience, which helps you understand the relationship between a wine’s characteristics and the terroir from which it was born.

Vinous

Rated winery (2023 guide) Recommended

James Suckling

Rated winery (2023 guide) Recommended

Customer Rating

3.3/5

based on 3 reviews

Review by Mr. FABIEN L. Published on March 28, 2025

Of course, this wine isn’t a 1 out of 5 by any stretch of the imagination. The Marcel Deiss estate knows its craft and would never release a bad wine. That said, at 120 euros, one has every right to expect a perfect wine. I’ve had wines from Deiss that were significantly more aromatic and balanced. The bitter notes, in particular, are poorly balanced—a glaring flaw in a wine that simply cannot afford such a shortcoming at this price point.

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Review by Mr. OLIVIER J. Published on March 15, 2018

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Review by Mr. YANN D. Published on June 27, 2014

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Wine Guide

Wines of Alsace

Alsace

Marcel Deiss

Domaine Marcel Deiss - Alsace Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim 2004

Domaine Marcel Deiss - Alsace Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim 2004

Buy your Marcel Deiss wines at the best price in a private sale!

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Tasting & Pairings

Marcel Deiss Estate

Alsace

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