As Thanksgiving approaches, I want this wine on my table. There are, of course, a lot of Thanksgiving wine options depending on your menu—and there will probably be a lot of options on my table—but I have a feeling this Alsace Grand Cru is the one I’ll be reaching for.
The best dancers are the ones who can dance with any partner, and Alsatian Riesling may well be the best dancer in the world of wine: Especially at the Grand Cru level, the combination of lush texture, subtle sweetness, and palate-cleansing freshness is like nothing else, and that serves it well in the food-pairing department. It can be an enveloping counterpoint to spicy dishes. A high-acid foil to fat. An exotically aromatic, juicy complement to fruitier, sweeter flavors in food. And, in the case of this 2014 from Dirler-Cadé, an incomparable value. There is so much wine packed into this $34 bottle it must be tasted to be believed—except that when you taste it, you can’t believe it! The cacophony of aromas, the richness of texture, the profundity of the minerality…everything about it is extraordinary. And that’s not just my deep, sentimental connection to Alsace talking: This is a world-class white wine you’ll find yourself reaching for early and often!
The “Kessler” Grand Cru, sunny and crimson-colored with clay and weathered sandstone, is a powerful site for Alsace Riesling. This vineyard, one of the most southerly in Alsace, excels in cooler vintages, like 2014, which provided a safety net for sky-high aromatics, tangible minerality, and refreshing acidity. And as a pioneer in certified biodynamic viticulture, Dirler-Cadé knows a thing or two about Riesling. They craft many varieties and styles, but Riesling is their cornerstone, produced by the family since 1871. With almost half of their total vineyard holdings divided between four Grand Crus, Kessler is the dearest site, producing Riesling of unmatched depth—a spiral of energy and sensation in flavor.
The Dirler-Cadés are humble people of the soil, owners and caretakers of 44 hectares planted to every permitted varietal in Alsace, except Chardonnay. The family has been prominent in Alsace for almost 150 years, but 1998 planted an impeccable footprint. In that year, their Grand Cru inventory nearly doubled when Jean-Pierre Dirler’s son, Jean, married Léon Hell-Cadé’s daughter, Ludivine. The Alsace estate, formerly known as “Dirler” officially became “Dirler-Cadé.” 1998 also marked the year when Dirler-Cadé became a member of the Syndicat International des Vignerons en Culture Bio-Dynamique, the body that issues the official Biodyvin seal of approval. Founded in 1995, the member list includes less than 150 properties in Europe. The Biodyvin symbol, a green cluster of grapes, decorates the back label and is an indicator of a producer’s consuming dedication to sustainability of the land and quality in the bottle. The Dirler-Cadé family was one of the earliest members, along with Domaine Leflaive, Domaine Pierre Morey, François Chidaine, Maison Chapoutier, Zind-Humbrecht, and Marc Kreydenweiss.
Dirler-Cadé’s meticulous biodynamic treatment in the vineyard perfectly juxtaposes their “let it be” way in the cellar. Jean and Ludivine allow the vineyard and the vintage to dictate the style. In years when fermentation naturally stops, leaving residual sugar, the Dirler-Cadés do not intervene and do not manipulate the wine. The wines are genuinely dry, but a little shift in sugar (sometimes up or down) merits their homegrown philosophy, never compromising a green standard to satisfy an importer, a certain palate, or vogue.
Riesling from Grand Cru Kessler emphasizes concentration and rounded versus Riesling from Grand Cru Saering (previously offered) which is about sharper angles. First mentioned in the 14th century, Kessler is a bowl-shaped, south-facing vineyard, with Dirler-Cadé vines exceeding 60 years of age. The grapes are softly pressed with their stems, which naturally pierce the skins, releasing the most delicate, free-run juice. From there, the juice is fermented in steel by way of natural yeasts, and aging is completed in old foudres (you will never see a new oak barrel in the Dirler’s cellar). After 10 months in foudres, the wine is bottled with no filtration, but slight fining to ensure brilliant clarity. The wine, then rests at the estate and is only released when Jean Dirler approves the quality in the bottle.
In the glass, the 2014 shines with platinum and flecks of bronze-gold. If you don’t have Riesling glasses, opt for a traditional white wine glass which neatly funnels the aroma (stay away from fishbowl-like glasses). Right from the pull of the cork, the wine unleashes a torrent of exotic aromas: pink guava, dragon fruit, kumquat, and charred pineapple. The fruit sensations intermingle alternating with scents of wet rocks, white flowers, fresh rain, and a subtle hint of petrol. The wine starts out wavy and round, medium-plus in body for sure, but rolls up tightly with a satisfying twinge of minerality and freshness that lends a pleasing dryness to the ultra-long finish. This is a white wine that plays well with all manner of light-colored meats, so don’t hesitate in pairing this with pork, veal, ham, and yes, turkey. Many of the sweet, spicy flavors that might make their way into your stuffing are in play in this wine; make the most of it!
