Marcel Deiss

Jean-Michel Deiss, the visionary winemaker at Marcel Deiss, believes that the specific terroir of a vineyard is more important than the individual grape variety. Therefore, he produces "field blends" where multiple Alsatian varieties are planted together, harvested together, and co-fermented, labeling the wine only by its lieu-dit (vineyard name).

The domaine is headquartered in the village of Bergheim, situated in the Haut-Rhin department of Alsace, France. This area is renowned for its complex limestone and marl soils, which Jean-Michel Deiss believes are essential for expressing true terroir.

"Complantage" is the traditional agricultural practice of planting multiple grape varieties mixed together in the same vineyard, which Marcel Deiss has championed. This contrasts with modern single-variety vineyards, and Deiss argues it creates a balanced ecosystem in the soil and results in a more harmonious wine.

While the estate is famous for its terroir-driven field blends, they do produce a few entry-level wines labeled by grape variety, such as their Tokay-Pinot Gris or Riesling. However, their top-tier Grand Cru wines, like Altenberg de Bergheim, are always field blends that obscure the exact varieties used.