Riesling Vendanges Tardives
⏳ Drinking Window
2024 - 2038
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
pan-seared foie gras, blue cheese, spicy Asian cuisine
✨ Technical Specifications
Domaine Dirler-Cadé's Riesling Vendanges Tardives represents the pinnacle of Alsace's late-harvest tradition, where patience and nature's whims dictate the harvest. The term 'Vendanges Tardives' refers to grapes left on the vine to overripen, often developing noble rot or undergoing drying on the vine. Sourced from the estate's prestigious Grand Cru plots, such as the sandy clay-limestone soils of Kessler, these vines are farmed strictly under biodynamic principles. The family's commitment to horse-drawn plowing and minimal intervention allows the deep-rooted Riesling vines to channel the intense minerality of the terroir. The resulting wine is a masterclass in tension, balancing luscious natural residual sweetness with the searing, vibrant acidity characteristic of the noble Riesling grape, wrapped in complex aromas of candied citrus, honey, and petrol notes that develop with age.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1871 in the southern Alsatian village of Bergholtz, Domaine Dirler-Cadé represents the union of two historic winegrowing families, merged in 2000 following the marriage of Jean Dirler and Ludivine Cadé. A pioneer of biodynamic viticulture in Alsace, the estate converted its vineyards to biodynamics in 1998 to respect natural biodiversity and preserve soil vitality. Their prime vineyard holdings encompass historic Grands Crus—including Kessler, Kitterlé, Saering, and Spiegel—alongside distinct lieux-dits such as Belzbrunnen and Schimberg. Dirler-Cadé is globally renowned for its bone-dry, terroir-driven Rieslings, vibrant Pinot Gris, aromatic Gewurztraminers, and finely textured Crémant d'Alsace sparkling wines.
🍇 Grape Varieties
Riesling