Riesling Eleve en Demi-Muid
⏳ Drinking Window
2023 - 2031
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
roasted poultry, grilled sea bass, creamy goat cheese
✨ Technical Specifications
In the rolling, sun-drenched hills of Bergholtz, Domaine Dirler-Cad e crafts this distinctive Riesling, showcasing an innovative departure from traditional Alsatian aging vessels. While many local producers favor stainless steel or colossal neutral foudres, this cuv ee is patiently raised in demi-muids—600-liter oak casks. This thoughtful vessel choice facilitates a delicate, slow micro-oxygenation that rounds out Riesling's naturally electric acidity, wrapping its fierce minerality in a silken, textured embrace without masking the grape's pristine fruit profile. Grounded in the estate's strict biodynamic philosophy, where vineyards are plowed by horses to maintain soil vitality, this wine beautifully marries the tension of Alsace Riesling with a sophisticated, expansive mouthfeel.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1871 by Jean Dirler in the southern Alsatian village of Bergholtz, Domaine Dirler-Cadé took its modern form in 2000 following the marriage of fifth-generation vigneron Jean Dirler to Ludivine Cadé. Pioneers of ecological viticulture in the region, the family began converting to biodynamics in 1998 under the guidance of François Bouchet, attaining full Biodyvin and Demeter certification across their 18 hectares of vines. The estate's holdings are distinguished by prime parcels in four Grand Crus—Kessler, Kitterlé, Saering, and Spiegel—alongside celebrated lieux-dits such as Belzbrunnen, Bux, and Bollenberg. Here, steep slopes composed of Buntsandstein pink sandstone, volcanic conglomerates, and marl-limestone are worked by hand and horse-plowed. In the cellar, low-intervention vinification emphasizes gentle pressing, native yeast fermentations, and unhurried aging on fine lees in traditional neutral foudres and stainless steel. The resulting dry Rieslings, aromatic Pinot Gris, structured Gewurztraminers, and precision Crémants deliver intense mineral clarity, textural poise, and profound ageability.
🍇 Grapes
Riesling