Altenberg de Bergheim is a named vineyard of the Alsace Grand Cru appellation situated 11 miles (17km) north of the commune of Colmar in northeastern France. It is located at the northern end of the Haut-Rhin department (effectively the southern half of Alsace) and on the steep, south-facing slopes of Grasberg hill immediately north to the medieval village of Bergheim.
Covering a little more than 35 hectares (86 acres), Altenberg de Bergheim is by far the largest of the three Grand Cru vineyards at the northern end of Haut-Rhin. The steep, south-facing slopes are mainly planted to Gewürztraminer and Riesling and rise from elevations of 722 to 1050ft (220 to 320m). These southerly aspects mean that the grapes planted here benefit from full sunshine throughout the growing season. The vines are also protected from wind and rain by the Vosges mountain range, with the resultant warm and temperate mesoclimate producing complex, richly flavored wines.
©Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins d'Alsace (CIVA)
The climate throughout Alsace is continental with particularly low rainfall – a result of the protection afforded by the Vosges mountains. The mountains also provide shelter from the prevailing westerly winds, making the Alsatian summer one of the driest and warmest in the northern half of France. The winters here are cold, with blankets of snow often covering Alsatian vineyards in the winter months.
The bedrock beneath Altenberg de Bergheim is composed of marl-limestone formed in the Jurassic period, more than 150 million years ago. This is covered with red calcareous clay, a soil type not commonly found in Alsace Grand Cru vineyards. There is also a significant presence of gypsum – the site is located close to a gypsum mine – adding to the unusual terroir. Together, these elements improve the water-retention properties of the land, which is a valuable asset in Alsace's characteristically dry conditions.
Apart from a few notable exceptions, all Alsace Grand Cru wines are varietals and may be made from Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris or Muscat. Altenberg de Bergheim is one of these exceptions (Zotzenberg and Kaefferkopf are the other two) and can produce either varietal wines from Gewürztraminer, Riesling or Pinot Gris, or wines blended from these three grape varieties plus up to 10 percent of Pinot Blanc, Muscat or Pinot Noir. This makes Altenberg de Bergheim the only Alsace Grand Cru vineyard permitted to use a red grape in its wines; the original appellation laws were changed in January 2001 to allow for blending in Alsace Grand Cru wines.
Altenberg de Bergheim has been revered for its fine wines since the 13th Century and in 1983 it was recognized as an Alsace Grand Cru appellation. Notable producers from Altenberg de Bergheim include Marcel Deiss, Gustave Lorentz and Domaine Sylvie Spielmann. Indeed, it was Marcel Deiss that petitioned for the inclusion of blends in Alsace Grand Cru-classified wines.
