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 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