Domaine Dirler-Cadé
Alsace, France
Domaine Dirler-Cade symbolizes the union of two historical Alsatian winegrowing families under one house. Jean Dirler is a 5th generation winemaker whose family had been making wine in the tiny village of Bergholtz, tucked into the lower hills of the Vosge Mountains, since 1871. Ludvine Cade’s family owned vineyards in nearby Guebwiller, known as Domaine Hell-Cade. The marriage of Ludvine and Jean in 2000 produced Domaine Dirler-Cade, one of the finest domaine’s in Alsace, with almost half of their 18 hectares of vines in Grand Crus, as well as plots in five lieux-dites.
Even before natural winemaking was en vogue, Jean’s family had been practicing for more than a century using the motto “natural wines, fine wines.” Jean and his father converted their vineyards to biodynamic viticulture in 1998. Today, the entire production is certified Agriculture Biologique and BIODYVIN. The soil in the vineyards is plowed four to five times a year by horse, the team remove flowers versus green harvesting, and old canes are not pruned off until March. Other organic practices such as natural crop covers, herbal teas, and only sulfur and homeopathic doses of horsetail instead of fertilizers, cultivate a thriving, biodiverse ecosystem. It doesn’t stop there—at harvest time, a small, close group of vineyard workers share food and wine during the season, as it is important to harvest the fruit by hand in a joyful and good mood, with a positive energy.
In the winery, Dirler-Cade uses slow, whole-cluster presses, spontaneous fermentations, and prolonged maturation on the lees. The resulting wines are expressive and complex, with a versatility that makes them just as fitting at a three-star Michelin restaurant as they are at a natural wine fair.
Even before natural winemaking was en vogue, Jean’s family had been practicing for more than a century using the motto “natural wines, fine wines.” Jean and his father converted their vineyards to biodynamic viticulture in 1998. Today, the entire production is certified Agriculture Biologique and BIODYVIN. The soil in the vineyards is plowed four to five times a year by horse, the team remove flowers versus green harvesting, and old canes are not pruned off until March. Other organic practices such as natural crop covers, herbal teas, and only sulfur and homeopathic doses of horsetail instead of fertilizers, cultivate a thriving, biodiverse ecosystem. It doesn’t stop there—at harvest time, a small, close group of vineyard workers share food and wine during the season, as it is important to harvest the fruit by hand in a joyful and good mood, with a positive energy.
In the winery, Dirler-Cade uses slow, whole-cluster presses, spontaneous fermentations, and prolonged maturation on the lees. The resulting wines are expressive and complex, with a versatility that makes them just as fitting at a three-star Michelin restaurant as they are at a natural wine fair.
