If you are wondering how it’s possible for this pedigreed, soil-expressive, naturally farmed wine to cost just $23, well, join the club. There is, however, at least one possible explanation: The Dirler family of Alsace has been making wines in the same place for more than a century, so perhaps their costs of inputs are substantially lower than those who are just getting into the wine game.
Whatever the reason, this 2012 Riesling from the “Belzbrunnen” vineyard is an absolute must-have for fans of this variety and place—not to mention those who’ve yet to appreciate what Alsace Riesling can be. Earlier this year, we offered a Dirler-Cadé Riesling from the “Saering” Grand Cru—an outstanding, rather unbelievable value in its own right—but this wine’s quality-to-price is simply unbeatable. While not blessed with a classification within the Alsace hierarchy, “Belzbrunnen” is a lieu-dit (named vineyard) with the kind of prime position that makes you wonder—who’s deciding what’s Grand Cru and what isn’t? Imagine standing on a stage, looking out at a semicircle amphitheater where the seats are Grand Crus. That stage is “Belzbrunnen.” It sure is nice to be in good company, and it shows in this wine, which is sounding off beautifully at five years old; if it continues its current trajectory, it will be center stage for many years to come. For those who haven’t experienced Dirler-Cadé or Alsatian wines in general, this is my wakeup call to you: Now is the time, and this is the wine!
Since 1871, the Dirler family has been burrowed deep in the soils of Alsace, with fifth-generation Jean Dirler currently at the helm. In 1998, along with the advent of their biodynamic conversion, he married Ludivine Cadé, daughter to winemaking family Hell-Cadé. After merging their land holdings in 2000, a new covenant between two Alsatian wine lovers was established: Domaine Dirler-Cadé. Now, their land holdings are enough to make most envious, as nearly half of their acreage is of Grand Cru status – a relatively new concept in Alsace, having been rolled out in 1983. It hasn’t come without backlash, however. Many argued why some parcels were elevated and others weren’t, which is something Champagne and Burgundy have dealt with for quite some time. But despite its nascent stage, I do believe the Grand Cru class is finding its footing and undoubtedly contributing to an overall higher quality of wine. The greatest concentration of Alsace’s plentiful 51 Grand Crus come from its southern half (Haut-Rhin) and it is mostly here where you’ll find supreme quality. Dirler-Cadé is stationed in the far south of Haut-Rhin and has extensive holdings in four major Grand Crus: “Kitterlé,” “Saering,” “Spiegel” and “Kessler.” The final three of these esteemed crus make up the above-mentioned ‘amphitheater’ surrounding the “Belzbrunnen” vineyard.
The micro-parcel of “Belzbrunnen” is a three-acre, mid-slope plot rooted in clay and sandstone, with vines dating back to 1971. Acid levels here tend to be more pronounced, but thanks to the site’s southeast exposure, it receives plenty of sunlight. As Dirler-Cadé is now celebrating its tenth year as completely biodynamic, the parcel is plowed by horse four-to-five times per year and is always harvested by hand, usually in multiple passes (tries) to select the healthiest grapes. In the winery, only natural yeasts are used, and fermentations are not engineered to create any kind of ‘style’—if a wine finishes its fermentation with some residual sugar (as this one did), so be it. In some years, this means a bone-dry wine, but in 2012 we are looking at a wine with 8.8 grams/sugar. Don’t let this alarm you; most Brut Champagne tends to be higher than this and could hardly be perceived as “sweet,” as is the case here—the residual sugar here adds texture and weight but is cleaned up quickly by a racy wave of acidity.
After nine months of aging on its fine lees in stainless steel, the 2012 “Belzbrunnen” wine was bottled unfined and lightly filtered. In the glass, it displays a concentrated yellow-gold core with vivid reflections at the rim. At five years old, it’s showing an expressive, mineral-flecked aromatic profile with rich and ripe fruits bursting through. White peach, golden apple, Anjou pear, lime meringue, honeysuckle, crushed rock, gunflint, and the charming petrol quality that I love are all confirmed on the medium-bodied, lush-yet-bracing palate. The residual sugar integrates seamlessly with the high acid, allowing for the wine to finish smooth without any ‘puckering,’ and that fleeting touch of sweetness opens up a realm of food pairing possibilities. Although it will continue to improve, and flesh out further, over the next 5+ years in the cellar, this is firing on all cylinders right now and is ready to serve right out of the bottle. Open it 15-30 minutes before pouring into all-purpose white stems (or specialty Riesling glasses) at about 50 degrees, to really let it flower fully. The attached recipe—a sophisticated riff on pork chops and applesauce—feels like it was custom-made for this wine. But, as you’ll see, there are many others it will harmonize with beautifully. At this price, you can not only afford to experiment, but have it on hand in quantity for your next large-scale feast. Potluck maybe? This will get the job done. Cheers!
