Pinot Gris Rotenberg 2017 1500ml Magnum

Wine Description for Pinot Gris Rotenberg 2017 1500ml Magnum by Domaine Zind-Humbrecht

Colour & Appearance

Luminous, saturated golden yellow with a depth that already hints at substance and maturity in the glass. The magnum bottle promises an even slower, more elegant development.

Nose

The nose is a promise: nutmeg blossom and rose open the bouquet, followed by ripe oranges, roasted almonds and a hint of nut and musk. Provençal spices lend depth, whilst a cool, stony-mineral vein – the unmistakable hallmark of the iron-rich Rotenberg terroir – provides tension in the background. Precise, transparent, unmistakably Zind-Humbrecht.

Palate

On the palate, the Rotenberg reveals its seductive side: rose petals and nutmeg come even more to the fore, embedded in a creamy, velvety texture with fine tannin structure. The wine is still young and reserved – beneath it seethes enormous energy and concentration, yearning for development. Despite the minimal residual sugar of 2.6 g/l, the wine tastes taut and dry, carried by lively acidity and a mineral backbone.

Finish

Long, precise and characterised by mineral freshness. The finish lingers with notes of almond and stone – a wine in no hurry. Ageing potential of at least 20 years, particularly in the magnum format.

Terroir & Origin

The Rotenberg lies near Wintzenheim, directly at the Vosges, with a slope inclination of 30–40 %. The Oligocene limestone is rich in iron oxide – hence the name, hence the brick-red soils. The topsoil is thin, stony, eroded. Nature keeps yields in check of its own accord. The vintage 2017 was exceptional: frost, hail and heat reduced the harvest to below 20 hl/ha – Olivier Humbrecht nonetheless counts it amongst the three finest vintages since the estate’s founding in 1959.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Pinot Gris from vines planted between 1972 and 1992. Yield: 20 hl/ha. Residual sugar: 2.6 g/l, acidity: 3.6 g/l, pH: 3.3 – a balance that holds freshness and fullness in perfect equilibrium. Alcohol: 13.5 % vol.

Food Pairing Recommendations

A wine of such complexity demands partners of equal standing: Challans duck with Bigarade sauce and celeriac purée captures the character of the wine perfectly. Equally so the Alsatian classic Baeckeoffe. For vegetarians: pearl barley risotto with roasted cauliflower and cardamom – the spice component plays beautifully with the nutmeg aroma of the wine.

Special Features

Vintage 2017 – marked by frost and hail, ennobled by the sun. In the magnum format (1500 ml), this wine matures even more slowly and develops even greater depth. A wine for the patient – and for all who understand that great Alsatian wines rank amongst the most underrated wines in the world.