2007 Huebuhl

A tasting chez Deiss is always intellectually stimulating and I have more fun discussing the relative merits of various wines with Deiss than with virtually any other vigneron I visit. Deiss described 2006 as "very difficult to work" but refused to change his vinification techniques. Even in a year with widespread rot the uncompromising Deiss couldn't bring himself to debourbe in 2006, even though this is what the local enologists advised. He believes not only in expressing the voice of the vineyard but also the unique character of each vintage, warts and all; so he was loath to leave behind most of the lees. Deiss is high on vintage 2007, describing it as having "the profile of a warm year. The wines are a bit like the 2004s but more concentrated." But he believes that the 2001s are more profound and have more "depth of acidity" and thus will be even longer-lived. By the way, Deiss has recently simplified his lineup of "fruit wines," and the emphasis today, more than ever, is on his vins du terroir-his field blends of two or more varieties designated only by their site.