Domaine Marcel Deiss : Riesling Vendanges tardives 2012

Characteristics and tasting advice for the Riesling Vendanges Tardives 2012 from Domaine Marcel Deiss

Tasting

Color

The color reveals a pale yellow hue with green highlights.

Nose

Expressive, the nose reveals aromas of golden stone fruits, notably apricot, accompanied by citrus zest and candied lemon. Notes of flint, pineapple and honey round out this generous bouquet.

Palate

On the palate, this Riesling Vendanges Tardives 2012 stands out for its precision and remarkable tension. The focused, mineral texture is paired with a balanced salinity that brings freshness and harmoniously offsets the residual sugars. The finish is long and incisive, leaving a persistent mineral imprint.

Food and wine pairings

This wine pairs perfectly with white fish with lemon butter, a sea bass carpaccio or smoked trout with pink peppercorns. It also elegantly accompanies green asparagus with vinaigrette, a wild mushroom risotto or free-range poultry with morel sauce. For cheese, opt for a fresh herbed cheese. Fans of fusion cuisine will enjoy the pairing with salmon-avocado sushi or sautéed langoustines in lemon-thyme butter. Finally, this wine elevates pan-seared foie gras and pairs harmoniously with desserts.

Serving and cellaring

To fully appreciate this Riesling Vendanges Tardives 2012, it is recommended to serve it between 8°C and 10°C. Feel free to open it a few hours in advance and decant it to reveal all of its complexity. C

An Alsace Riesling Vendanges Tardives combining mineral tension and aromatic richness

The estate

Founded in 1947 by Marcel Deiss, Domaine Marcel Deiss is located in Bergheim, in the heart of the Alsace vineyard. Today, Mathieu Deiss runs the estate with the assistance of his father, Jean-Michel Deiss, who took over the family estate in 1973. The vineyard spans around 26 to 32 hectares across 9 different communes. The estate stands out for its unique philosophy that favors the expression of terroir over that of grape variety, notably through the ancestral practice of field blends (complantation). Farmed biodynamically since 1997, the estate is among Alsace’s benchmarks, with Mathieu and Jean-Michel Deiss ranked 14th among the best winemakers in France.

The vineyard

The Domaine Marcel Deiss vineyard in Alsace is defined by its exceptional diversity. The estate practices complantation, an ancestral method consisting of planting together up to 13 Alsatian grape varieties within the same plot. This approach promotes an authentic expression of terroir and ensures natural resilience in the face of climatic variations. The entire vineyard is managed biodynamically according to organic farming principles, with minimal interventions in the cellar and the use of natural indigenous yeasts. Yields are deliberately kept very low to prioritize quality and concentration in the grapes.

Winemaking and aging

The winemaking of the Riesling Vendanges Tardives 2012 reflects the estate’s philosophy based on minimal intervention. Natural indigenous yeasts are favored to preserve authenticity and the expression of terroir. The biodynamic approach continues in the cellar, allowing the wine to fully reveal its unique character and hallmark minerality.

Grape variety

100% riesling