Domaine Dirler-Cade Riesling Kessler, Alsace Grand Cru, France

凱德酒莊凱特勒雷司令半干白葡萄酒

點(diǎn)擊次數(shù)：3804

Having finished decidedly off-dry does not preserve the Dirler-Cade 2009 Riesling Kessler from exhibiting a bit of finishing warmth. Overripe apricot and musk melon are fascinatingly and alluringly mingled with scents of gentian and elder flower. An opulent, silken, fruit-filled palate garners some welcome saliva-inducement from a touch of salinity. And despite the aforementioned hint of warmth, this finishes with impressive length, its sense of sweetness entirely supportive. It ought to be worth following for at least a decade. As usual chez Dirler, I was forced during my most recent visit to take a slightly abbreviated tour of the two most recent collections on account of this family’s sheer multitude of bottlings, but it is clear from their 2008s that this remains one of the most frequently exciting – and generally consistent – sources of wine in Alsace, making it unfortunate that one doesn’t see Dirler-Cade wines more often in the U.S. Moreover, this is an estate that’s rendering highly distinctive; often deliciously unorthodox; but never fashion-pandering innovations while retaining a clear and constant vision of how the classic cepages of Alsace should perform in sites that can boast some of the longest – not to mention most-deserved – reputations of any in their region. All this having been noted, 2009 was a challenge even here: sometimes well-met, but seldom entirely surmounted. Rieslings were being harvested as early as mid-September, and Jean Dirler observes that had he cut back the crop on his Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer rather than allowing bunches to remain abundant, he would really have had a problem with sky-high potential alcohol. (For more on the Dirlers’ sites and methods, consult my reports on earlier vintages.)Importer: Robert Chadderdon Selections, New York, NY; tel. (212) 757-8185

Given the nature of its vintage and of the heat trap that is the Kessler’s “hot tub,” it comes as little surprise that Dirler-Cade’s 2009 Riesling Kessler Heisse Wanne is full-on sweet. Musky scents of peony along with overripe pear and peach anticipate the effusive, slightly decadent, caramel-tinged fruit to be found on a voluminous though blessedly juicy palate. The attractive salinity and floral persistence of the “regular” Kessler however make for more elegance, even if that wine’s lower residual sugar comes at the price of faint heat. I would be inclined to finish this Heisse Wanne bottling within the next decade, recognizing that its sense of sweetness is not going to significantly diminish over that period. As usual chez Dirler, I was forced during my most recent visit to take a slightly abbreviated tour of the two most recent collections on account of this family’s sheer multitude of bottlings, but it is clear from their 2008s that this remains one of the most frequently exciting – and generally consistent – sources of wine in Alsace, making it unfortunate that one doesn’t see Dirler-Cade wines more often in the U.S. Moreover, this is an estate that’s rendering highly distinctive; often deliciously unorthodox; but never fashion-pandering innovations while retaining a clear and constant vision of how the classic cepages of Alsace should perform in sites that can boast some of the longest – not to mention most-deserved – reputations of any in their region. All this having been noted, 2009 was a challenge even here: sometimes well-met, but seldom entirely surmounted. Rieslings were being harvested as early as mid-September, and Jean Dirler observes that had he cut back the crop on his Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer rather than allowing bunches to remain abundant, he would really have had a problem with sky-high potential alcohol. (For more on the Dirlers’ sites and methods, consult my reports on earlier vintages.)Importer: Robert Chadderdon Selections, New York, NY; tel. (212) 757-8185