Vendanges Tardives

A classification of high regulated wine coming from Alsace. For wines to be bottled as Vendanges Tardives, they must be made from one of the four noble grape varieties — Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, or Muscat — and the wines may not be a blend. Vendanges Tardives translates to “late harvest” and as a result, some of these are influenced by botrytis, though it is not required and varietal purity is often prioritized. The bottle must have a stated vintage and may not be released until June 1st of the second year following the harvest. Vendanges Tardives wines may not be chaptalized and must be harvested by hand. Vendanges Tardives wines are required to have a minimum must weight of 244 grams per liter for Riesling and Muscat and 270 grams per liter for Gewürztraminer and Pinot Gris. Despite the high minimum sugar requirements, Vendange Tardive wines can vary from nearly dry to very sweet.