2011 Tokay Pinot Gris Kessler

Its 20 grams of residual sugar engendering distinct sweetness, the Dirler-Cade 2011 Pinot Gris Kessler combines lushly peachy fruit and a Chartreuse-like profusion of herbal and floral essences on a palate of breadth and caressing polish, yet with an admirable sense of buoyancy (even at 13.5% alcohol) and similarly admirable juiciness to that exhibited by the estate’s other Pinot Gris bottlings of this vintage. A deep savor of nut oils adds appeal to a soothingly sustained finish. Plan on following this bottling through 2025, by which time its sense of sweetness is likely to be more discreet. The Dirler-Cade team was faced in 2011 with one of those increasingly frequent occurrences at many Northern European wine estates that have been traditionally blessed with top sites, namely that must weights soared quickly, so timing of harvest was critical, and one had to deal with high alcohol as a price for dry wine. Under the circumstances, they turned in an admirable performance –– if only occasionally and in cooler locations exceptional – with wines that for the most part preserved admirable primary juiciness. The 2010 vintage – although given just half of a normal crop it would be hard for Dirlers to deem it a success – resulted in riveting Rieslings as well as some fine Gewurztraminers that confirm a truth about the cluster of celebrated vineyards in their neighborhood, namely that they acquired their reputations above all on account of an ability to ripen fruit in challengingly cool conditions, but over the past quarter-century the more usual challenge has been to keep must weights from prematurely soaring, regardless of cepage. (I was reminded of these circumstances, too, in tasting alongside their sparkling wines based on vintage 2009, which was simply too warm and ripe to support the quality or personality that over the years made this estate’s reputation with methode champenoise.) Incidentally, while it would be nice to imagine a uniform scale for indicating relative dryness and sweetness, at least Dirler-Cade helpfully utilizes one (using numbers 1-6) on their back-labels. Imported by T. Edwards Wines New York (212) 233-1504 office@tedwardwines.com and APS Wines & Spirits, Oakland, CA; tel. (510) 638-5200