Dirler-Cadé : Riesling Grand cru "Saering" Élément Eau 2020

Characteristics and tasting tips for the Riesling Grand Cru "Saering" Élément Eau 2020 by Dirler-Cadé

Tasting

Appearance

The appearance displays a luminous pale yellow hue with light highlights, attesting to the wine's youth and purity. The rim is distinguished by its brilliance, clarity, and transparency, evoking freshness and vitality.

Nose

The bouquet is elegant and refined, centered on floral notes accompanied by white and yellow fruits such as peach, pear, and pineapple. The nose also reveals citrus impressions including yuzu, lime, and candied orange, as well as white flowers and a slight ferruginous touch. With aeration, smoky and gunflint aromas emerge gradually, accompanied by spicy nuances of ginger and a smoky minerality reminiscent of gunpowder.

Palate

The attack is slender and elegant, supported by a full alcoholic structure. The mid-palate presents a lively to medium acidity, marked by a slight bead and a crystalline character. The aromatic palette perceived on the palate echoes the nose's impressions with citrus, pear, fine vegetal notes, white flowers, spices, and that distinctive smoky minerality. A noble mineral bitterness brings complexity and definition to the whole. The wine expresses considerable salinity and a crystalline character, while the finish offers a beautiful length of eight to nine caudalies, accompanied by a strict vibrancy and a persistent bitterness of noble character.

Food and wine pairings

This Riesling pairs perfectly with a fresh fish tartare accompanied by lime croutons, a pink trout stuffed with vegetables and roasted almonds, or roasted John Dory fillets with Provençal potatoes. It also enhances roasted Brittany langoustines, salmon marinated with fennel and cumin, as well as tempura squid with crunchy vegetables. Aged goat cheeses, such as Saint-Maure de Touraine, also constitute a harmonious pairing.

Service and cellaring

The Riesling Grand Cru "Saering" Élément Eau 2020 is best enjoyed at a temperature between 10 and 12°C. It is recommended to open the bottle about thirty minutes before serving to allow the aromas to fully express themselves. This wine can be appreciated until approximately 2033, or even beyond depending on storage conditions.

A biodynamic Riesling from the Grand Cru Saering in Alsace

The estate

Domaine Dirler-Cadé, founded in 1871 in Bergholtz, has perpetuated a winegrowing tradition of excellence for five generations. Today managed by Jean and Ludivine Dirler, the estate spans 18 hectares, nearly half of which is classified as Grand Cru. In 1998, the marriage of Jean and Ludivine Hell-Cadé allowed for the integration of the latter's family plots, giving birth to the current name Dirler-Cadé. A pioneer of biodynamics in Alsace since 1998, the estate obtained the prestigious three-star distinction in the 2025 Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France by La Revue du Vin de France, consecrating its status among the greatest French producers. Certified Biodyvin, Dirler-Cadé embodies environmentally respectful viticulture and an authentic expression of Alsatian terroirs.

The vineyard

The Grand Cru Saering, representing the water element in the estate's classification, is located north of Guebwiller, separated from the Grand Cru Kitterlé by a distinct geological fault. Mentioned as early as 1250 in historical archives, this terroir forms a ring-shaped tongue of land jutting out into the plain. The vines face east and south-east, at altitudes between 260 and 300 meters. The soil consists of marly-limestone sandstone, combining marl, limestone, and sandstone, with a rather heavy texture enriched with rolled pebbles and gravel favoring solar heat retention. This unique geological formation, resulting from the erosion of Triassic Buntsandstein sandstone, confers exceptional finesse and minerality to the wines. The estate practices integral biodynamic viticulture with partial plowing in autumn and full plowing in spring, natural summer grass cover, and the use of biodynamic preparations to stimulate soil life and encourage deep root growth.

The vintage

The 2020 vintage in Alsace was characterized by hot and dry conditions during the growing season. Despite these conditions, the wines retained remarkable freshness, described as a "mystery of freshness" by professional tasters. This tension between the heat of the vintage and the preserved vibrancy testifies to the superior expression of the terroir, where mineral-dominant sites maintain their liveliness despite high temperatures. The grapes reached optimal phenolic maturity, allowing for the elaboration of wines with great concentration while preserving their balance.

Winemaking and aging

The grapes for the Riesling Grand Cru "Saering" Élément Eau 2020 were harvested manually at optimal phenolic maturity. After whole-cluster pneumatic pressing, the must fermented in large wooden foudres with temperature control. The wine was then aged on fine lees for nine to twelve months in foudres, imparting subtle complexity while preserving the freshness and mineral character essential to the expression of the terroir.

Grape

100% Riesling