Just about any French vineyard owner will talk terroir given the opportunity, but no one argues the case for terroir more passionately than Marcel Deiss. Should any readers be traveling to Alsace, Deiss is definitely a man worth visiting. All of his wines exhibit distinctive personalities. Riesling is king at the Deiss estate, although I note my highest ratings are often awarded to his other wines. Nevertheless, these Rieslings are classics in the austere, dry, mineral-dominated style. The 1992 Riesling Altenberg is a citrusy, vibrant wine with outstanding acidity, a tightly-knit personality, vibrant apple fruit, and a medium-bodied, lemon-like finish. It is an intriguing young Riesling that promises to improve over the next several years and last for up to a decade. Importer: Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC; tel. (202) 832-9083