Domaine Marcel Deiss : Schoenenbourg Grand cru 2019

Characteristics and tasting tips for the Schoenenbourg Grand Cru 2019 from Domaine Marcel Deiss

Tasting

Colour
The wine has a deep, slightly dark hue with golden highlights and hints of graphite.

Nose
Warm and complex, the nose releases aromas of very ripe yellow fruits such as peach, mango and apricot. Subtle vegetal touches and a pronounced smoky, stony minerality enrich this fruity bouquet.

Palate
The attack is soft and enveloping, with lovely richness and a creamy texture. On the palate, great opulence meets broad, persistent acidity that lengthens the wine. An iodine-laced, saline minerality brings tension and leads to a finish of impressive length and complexity.

Food and wine pairings

This fine white wine is made for the table and pairs beautifully with noble shellfish such as lobster or spiny lobster, as well as with iodine-rich dishes. It is also an ideal match for festive poultry in sauce, fine fish such as turbot or sea bass, and even caviar after a few years in the cellar.

Serving and cellaring

For optimal enjoyment, serve this wine at around 12°C, and decant it or open it the day before. Built for very long ageing, this Schoenenbourg Grand Cru 2019 can be cellared and enjoyed until around 2070.

The richness and minerality of a great white wine from Alsace

The estate

Founded in 1947 by Marcel Deiss, Domaine Marcel Deiss is located in Bergheim, in the heart of Alsace. The 32-hectare estate is now run by Mathieu Deiss, with the support of his father Jean-Michel. A pioneer in the region, the estate stands out for its philosophy centred on field blends and its certified organic and biodynamic viticulture. It strives to reveal the true identity of its terroirs through environmentally friendly practices, including agroforestry and controlled yields.

The vineyard

Overlooking the village of Riquewihr in Alsace, the Schoenenbourg terroir is characterised by a steep south- and south-east-facing slope. The vines thrive on complex soils of Keuper gypsum marl, Vosges sandstone and shell limestone. The vineyard is farmed biodynamically, with meticulous manual work and deliberately low yields to ensure concentrated berries.

The vintage

2019 is recognised as a warm vintage across Europe, which favoured high levels of ripeness. Despite these generous weather conditions, the characteristics of the terroir and the estate's viticultural practices preserved lovely tension and great freshness in the berries.

Winemaking and ageing

The grapes are harvested by hand, then whole bunches undergo a long, gentle pressing. The juice of the Schoenenbourg Grand Cru 2019 then ferments without prior settling in large wooden casks, with indigenous yeasts. The wine is aged for 24 months on its full lees, which gives it texture and stability.

Grape varieties

This cuvée is made from a field blend of all the Alsace grape varieties, dominated by old Riesling vines.