Established for the last two hundred and fifty years in the vine-growing area of the medieval city of Bergheim, the vineyard extends over the steeply sloping south face of the Grasberg hillock, at an altitude of between 220 and 320 metres. South-facing and at a distance from the Vosgian front, the steep slope favours a warm and temperate micro-climate, together with even temperatures and hygrometry. In the heart of the Ribeauville fault mosaic, split into layers of limestone and marl from the lower and mid-Jurassic periods, the Altenberg is composed of very stony, reddish, somewhat shallow soil of marl, sand and lime, commonly referred to as clayey-limestone. The rich and delicate aromas and full-bodied mouth are the characteristics of this wine combined with great length. Marked by a fine concentration of the fruit harvested after the first chill of autumn, this vintage unquestionably ranks among the 20 greats of this century. 1997 gave us wines of great structure, full-bodied, warm and generous, following the example of the sumptuous concentration found in the above-mentioned "Vendanges Tardives". Without a doubt, this is an excellent vintage for laying down, 15 to 20 years for the good cuvées and well beyond that for the concentrated wines.
