Marcel Deiss Masterclass Revisited

On Wednesday 18th January 2023 a small group of lucky wine schoolers joined Laura on a memorable and magnificent tasting exploring the unique wines of Marcel Deiss. As with most of Laura’s Masterclasses, a few bottles of each wine were purchased, which means we can revisit (almost) the same line up four years on, in 2027. Marcel Deiss is a maverick winemaker with a very different take on how to best express the terroir of Alsace. Whilst the majority of producers make separate wines from the grapes of Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, Muscat and Pinot Noir, Deiss harvests and vinifies them all as one. Using a technique which is sometimes referred to as a ‘field blend’. Working organically and biodynamically, Deiss seeks to express each plot individually by bottling wines vineyard by vineyard, or village by village rather than simply calling it all ‘wine from Alsace’. This kind of painstaking work requires knowledge, skill and tremendous commitment to vineyard work. But many people believe the Marcel Deiss has single-handedly transformed the way many people view Alsace wines, and introduced a way of working which, in this time of climate crisis, is looking more sustainable and resilient. The wines of Marcel Deiss taste extraordinary. They are fermented with wild yeasts, lending a certain funky smoky edge. Many of them spend time on the skins, lending texture, body, mouthfeel and a degree of bitterness. Love it or loathe it, his wines are certainly distinctive and offer us a new way of understanding Alsace. These are the last of the bottles which Laura purchased in 2019, so grab one of these 12 spots quick if you want to taste these utterly unique wines.