Marcel Deiss
Encyclopedia
Marcel Deiss is a French
wine grower
and producer. It is based in Bergheim
, in the Alsace wine region
of France.
The current domaine was started in 1947 by Marcel Deiss after returning from the Second World War.
The estate is currently run by the grandson of the founder, Jean-Michel Deiss and his wife Clarisse Deiss, with winemaking input from oenologist Marie Helene Cristofaro. Jean-Michel took over the estate in 1973 after graduating from an oenology
course at university.
principles and have been converted to biodynamic
methods since 1998.
It is in recent years that the reputation of the estate has grown significantly under the direction of Jean-Michel Deiss. The estate is best known for its field blends of Riesling
, Pinot Gris
, Gewurztraminer
and other grapes. While these blends are common in Alsace, Deiss is unusual in that it produces these wines from top vineyards, including Grand cru
designated sites.
Deiss also differs from the traditional system in Alsace which usually includes listing the grape types used to produce the wine on the label, starting in 2000 the Vins de Terroirs labels only indicate the vineyard name. Not putting the grape type on the label of Grand crus was illegal until Deiss convinced the Institut National des Appellations d'Origine
to change the law in 2005, against the wishes of many other prominent wine estates in Alsace.
Wines are made in three categories, by the estate: Vins de Fruits, Vins de Terroirs and Vins de Temps.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
wine grower
Winemaking
Winemaking, or vinification, is the production of wine, starting with selection of the grapes or other produce and ending with bottling the finished wine. Although most wine is made from grapes, it may also be made from other fruit or non-toxic plant material...
and producer. It is based in Bergheim
Bergheim, Haut-Rhin
Bergheim is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.It is a completely fortified town and has magnificent towers and walls. The entire population was wiped out by two wars and the plague in the 17th-18th centuries. To replace the population, thousands of people...
, in the Alsace wine region
Alsace wine
Alsace wine or Alsatian wine is produced in the Alsace region in France and is primarily white. These wines, which for historical reasons have a strong Germanic influence, are produced under three different Appellations d'Origine Contrôlées : Alsace AOC for white, rosé and red wines, Alsace Grand...
of France.
History
The Deiss family came to Bergheim in 1744 and took up grape growing in the area shortly afterward.The current domaine was started in 1947 by Marcel Deiss after returning from the Second World War.
The estate is currently run by the grandson of the founder, Jean-Michel Deiss and his wife Clarisse Deiss, with winemaking input from oenologist Marie Helene Cristofaro. Jean-Michel took over the estate in 1973 after graduating from an oenology
Oenology
Oenology,[p] œnology , or enology is the science and study of all aspects of wine and winemaking except vine-growing and grape-harvesting, which is a subfield called viticulture. “Viticulture & oenology” is a common designation for training programmes and research centres that include both the...
course at university.
Wines
The domaine currently owns around 26 hectares of vineyards in nine different areas of Alsace, with around 10,000 cases of wine produced each vintage depending on conditions. The vineyards were maintained according to organicOrganic wine
The most widely accepted definition of Organic wine is wine made from grapes grown in accordance with principles of organic farming, which typically excludes the use of artificial chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides and herbicides....
principles and have been converted to biodynamic
Biodynamic wine
Biodynamic wines are wines made using the principles of biodynamic agriculture. Biodynamic refers to both the agricultural methods and the handling and processing of the fruit post-harvest.-Biodynamic viticulture:...
methods since 1998.
It is in recent years that the reputation of the estate has grown significantly under the direction of Jean-Michel Deiss. The estate is best known for its field blends of Riesling
Riesling
Riesling is a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines. Riesling wines are usually varietally...
, Pinot Gris
Pinot Gris
Pinot gris is a white wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot noir grape, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name but the grape can have a brownish pink to black and even white appearance...
, Gewurztraminer
Gewürztraminer
Gewürztraminer is an aromatic wine grape variety that performs best in cooler climates. It is sometimes referred to colloquially as Gewürz, and in French it is written '...
and other grapes. While these blends are common in Alsace, Deiss is unusual in that it produces these wines from top vineyards, including Grand cru
Alsace Grand Cru AOC
Alsace Grand Cru is an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée for wines made in specific parcels of the Alsace wine region of France. The Grand Cru AOC was recognized in 1975 by the INAO with subsequent expansion in 1983, 1992 and 2007....
designated sites.
Deiss also differs from the traditional system in Alsace which usually includes listing the grape types used to produce the wine on the label, starting in 2000 the Vins de Terroirs labels only indicate the vineyard name. Not putting the grape type on the label of Grand crus was illegal until Deiss convinced the Institut National des Appellations d'Origine
Institut National des Appellations d'Origine
The Institut National des Appellations d'Origine is the French organization charged with regulating French agricultural products with Protected Designations of Origin . Controlled by the French government, it forms part of the Ministry of Agriculture...
to change the law in 2005, against the wishes of many other prominent wine estates in Alsace.
Wines are made in three categories, by the estate: Vins de Fruits, Vins de Terroirs and Vins de Temps.
- Vins de Fruits: entry level wines from the estate, made from a single grape type.
- Vins de Temps: made to emphasise the character of the vintage, with the Vendange tardiveVendange tardiveVendange tardive means "late harvest" in French. The phrase refers to a style of dessert wine where the grapes are allowed to hang on the vine until they start to dehydrate. This process, called passerillage, concentrates the sugars in the juice and changes the flavours within it...
and Selection de Grains NoblesSélection de Grains NoblesSélection de Grains Nobles is French for "selection of noble berries" and refers to wines made from grapes affected by noble rot. SGN wines are sweet dessert wines with rich, concentrated flavours...
designations. - Vins de Terroirs: field blends that Deiss is known for, with multiple grape types from a single vineyard.