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If anyone has "broken eggs" in Alsace more than anyone else in the region, it is Jean-Michel Deiss. He has challenged everything from the appellation of origin system, with its often very large grand cru, to the Alsatians' tendency to bottle single-vineyard wines, creating field-blend vineyards starting with top grand cru wines he owned. He and his son Matthieu never stop shaking up the region, producing wines that take a huge distance from the boring, sophisticated, technical style of Alsace. They "weaponize" some of the best terroir in Haut-Rhine, in which they built a system of vineyard hierarchy against Alsace law and on the Burgundy model. The Gruenspiel terroir is one of the Deiss' "crus d'Alsace" (unofficially premier cru) in their village of Bergheim. A blend of Gewürztraminer, Riesling and Pinot Noir. Muscular, masculine, with a tannic structure unexpected for a white wine, giving it the feel of an Amaro, and extremely ripe fruit from the vineyard that "attracts" the sun with its exposure.
Deiss himself describes it as an "iron fist" wrapped in a velvet glove to describe this combination of tannic power of Gruenspiel's lands and dense fruit, all culminating in a huge long finish. A wine that insistently demands food. Dry, tannic, firm yet dense at the same time with great extract. The wine evolves in a surprising way as it ages, with the structure softening, making it seem more velvety and irresistible and leaving that bitterness of the tannins in the background. Pressed with whole bunches, the wine is fermented with native yeasts and will age for 12 months in contact with lees in old large barrels (foudres).
An awesome balance of freshness and oxidative character, a hint of honey aromas and richness reminiscent of the equally wonderful sparkling wines from the Chenin Blanc variety. Indigene does not want or resemble champagne in any way. The slow second fermentation in the bottle, which can last for over six months, contributes to the complexity of the wine,...
