Pinot Gris Vendanges Tardives
⏳ Drinking Window
2024 - 2035
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Foie gras, strong washed-rind cheeses like Munster, and spiced fruit tarts.
✨ Technical Specifications
Wolfberger, established in 1902 in the historic village of Eguisheim, is a cornerstone of Alsatian winemaking. This Pinot Gris Vendanges Tardives (Late Harvest) represents the pinnacle of patience and natural alchemy. The grapes are left on the vine weeks after the normal harvest, allowing them to shrivel and often develop Botrytis cinerea (noble rot), which concentrates sugars, acidity, and complex aromatics. Historically, Pinot Gris in Alsace was referred to as 'Tokay d'Alsace,' a nod to legendary tales of Hungarian vines brought back by General Lazare de Schwendi in the 16th century. Grown on the region's diverse clay-limestone soils, this wine undergoes slow fermentation and extended lees aging, resulting in a rich, opulent profile defined by notes of honey, dried apricots, smoky minerals, and gingerbread, all balanced by Alsace's signature vibrant acidity.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1902 in the historic medieval village of Eguisheim, Wolfberger began as the Cave Coopérative Vinicole d'Eguisheim, among the pioneering winegrower unions of Alsace. Today, the cooperative unites over 300 member families cultivating roughly 1,200 hectares spanning across the Haut-Rhin and Bas-Rhin, including holdings across 15 Grand Cru sites such as Pfersigberg, Eichberg, and Rangen. Viticultural parcels traverse diverse geological foundations—ranging from classic limestone-clay and marl to fractured granite and steep volcanic scree—sheltered by the rain shadow of the Vosges Mountains. Viticulture adheres to rigorous sustainable guidelines through HVE Level 3 and Agri-Confiance certifications, complemented by dedicated certified-organic bottlings. Wolfberger has cemented its international reputation as both an innovator and benchmark producer of AOC Crémant d'Alsace, alongside precision-led still varietals. Its benchmark wines range from vibrant Riesling and Gewurztraminer Vieilles Vignes to richly concentrated Vendanges Tardives and botrytized Sélection de Grains Nobles.