Harvested en bloc (not selectively) from the Heisse Wanne, the 2004 Riesling Kessler Vendange Tardive smells of peaches, honey, malt, lily, and candied lemon rind, hints of peach pit bitterness and citrus zest offering counterpoint to the peachy, honeyed waves of fruit that caress the taster’s palate, but engendering a slightly sweet-sour overall impression that will probably knit with time. Clear, pure, polished, and refined, it comes off today as slightly understated alongside the Dirlers’ 2005 renditions of Riesling from this site. So enormous is the range of wines nowadays grown at the combined Dirler and Cade domaine that I did not have the time to taste them all. (All of those I did taste are at least mentioned in the text.) Along with the involvement of the new generation – Jean Dirler and his wife Ludivine (nee Cade) – the entire domaine has been farmed biodynamically since 1998 (and parts of the Kessler and Kitterle with horse), a factor the family thinks especially beneficial given the climatic extremes that have prevailed in recent years. Riesling and Pinot Gris are generally fermented in foudre here, and other whites usually in tank. Very few families of Alsace wine have exhibited long-term the consistent quality and age-ability one can expect of those bottled under the Dirler name.Importer: Robert Chadderdon Selections, New York, NY; tel. (212) 757-8185