Domaine Dirler-Cadé - Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Kessler Vendanges Tardives 2015

More candied fruit than the estate’s other Gewürztraminers, with notes of fruit paste; the high sugar content (61 g/l) lacks a bit of liveliness, even though the minerality comes through nicely on the finish. But it will age well.

An iconic Bergholtz estate for two generations now. The 18 hectares cultivated using biodynamic methods are the result of the partnership between Jean Dirler and Ludivine Cadé. Within the lineup, the fine terroirs of Saering, Kitterlé, Kessler, and especially Spiegel offer great aging potential, allowing the slight residual sugars to integrate fully.

The 2015 Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Kessler Vendange Tardive is deep, clean, and fresh, with a flinty note on the nose, featuring concentrated fruit without being overly aromatic. Very elegant and charmingly understated! Very dense and creamy, the palate is round and concentrated, with pronounced sweetness but also a salty minerality in a long, well-structured finish. A very concentrated, sweet, and charming Kessler Vendange Tardive, with some lactic notes on the nose and palate. It is very elegant and intense, but the wine will need a decade to fully develop [...]

Jean Dirler and his wife Ludivine, sensitive and seasoned winemakers, skillfully steer this estate founded in 1871, which has been passed down from father to son for five generations and has been cultivated biodynamically since 1998. Regardless of the grape variety, the precision of the wines, their body, and their ripeness have never been more refined: an impressive range of great dry white wines culminates in the magnificent expressions of the Spiegel, Saering, Kessler, and Kitterlé grands crus—which are an absolute must-try—and which are now named after the four elements (fire, air, earth, water). This estate offers a remarkable welcome, and many wines are available in older vintages. The exceptional quality of the entire range in the most recent vintages has earned it its third star this year.