Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed 5 to 15 years from the vintage release, during which it develops complex tertiary notes of honey and preserved ginger.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
foie gras, Munster cheese, spicy Asian cuisine
✨ wine.spec_sheet
Crafted by the historic southern Alsace cooperative, the Vieil-Armand Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives represents the pinnacle of late-harvest winemaking. The name 'Vieil-Armand' itself pays tribute to the Hartmannswillerkopf, a nearby World War I battlefield, lending a poignant historical depth to the region's viticulture. This sweet, opulent wine is produced only in exceptional years when autumn conditions allow the Gewurztraminer grapes to overripen on the vine, often developing the coveted noble rot (Botrytis cinerea). Grown on the sun-drenched, mineral-rich slopes of the Vosges foothills, the grapes are meticulously hand-harvested weeks after the main harvest. The resulting wine is a luscious, golden elixir showcasing the intense aromatic complexity of the terroir, marked by exotic fruits, rose petals, and sweet spices.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Established in 1959 at the foot of the historic Hartmannswillerkopf battlefield in Wuenheim, France, the Cave du Vieil-Armand is the southernmost wine cooperative in Alsace. Drawing from unique terroirs characterized by granite and silt soils, the winery is celebrated for its precise, expressive Crémant d'Alsace sparkling wines, including the Bienvenue Brut and Chateau Ollwiller expressions, the latter sourced from one of the region's few historic castle estates. Committed to sustainable winegrowing, they produce an elegant range of traditional Alsatian varietals, from mineral-driven Sylvaner to rich Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. The estate is located at 1 Route de Cernay, 68500 Wuenheim, Alsace, France, and their official website is https://www.cave-vieil-armand.com.