2023 Riesling Belzbrunnen

Ludivine and Jean Dirler presented their entire 2023 range. The wines are brilliant and alive, possessed of purity and light. Jean Dirler said that 2023 was “very curious” because there were “several periods of heat and drought and several periods of cooler weather, changing all the time.” June proved to be immensely dry. All the grapes harvested in the Heisse Wanne parcel within Grand Cru Kessler, usually vinified and bottled separately, ended up in the estate Riesling. The hottest day in Bergholtz was the July 9, at 38°C, followed by warm days that eventually cooled. Some August nights dipped to a chilly 8°C. Rain arrived in late August, helping all vegetation. Jean Dirler noted that some vines shut down in the June dry period, slowing their ripening, but after the August rains, vines could catch up and potential alcohol levels reached around 13% (rather than the usual 13.5%). Harvest for Pinot Noir started on August 24 in the Bollenberg. More Pinot Noir was harvested on September 7 and 8, with Crémant base having been picked from September 1 onwards, segueing into the main harvest that concluded on October 12. Freshly returned from Jurançon, son Luc Dirler has now joined the team, focusing mostly on viticulture.