The Riesling Roche Granitique 2019 from Domaine Zind-Humbrecht captivates as a masterful Alsatian white wine with expressive volcanic and granite minerality and citrus freshness.
Bottler: Domaine Zind Humbrecht, 4 Route de Colmar, 68230 Turckheim / France
In the glass
Colour
Bright, intense golden yellow
Nose
An intense fruit basket of citrus fruits, orange, lime, young pineapple and apricot, underpinned by fresh ginger, lemongrass and stony nuances
Palate
Crisp, vibrant acidity meets salty minerality and delicate fruit sweetness; immensely fresh with a fascinating umami structure
Character
Complex, radiant and energetic with superb balance and drinkability
Pairing
Scallop salad with orange and wakame, sliced veal with sage and apricots, or Jerusalem artichoke chips with salted lemon mayonnaise
Notes
Sourced from biodynamic vineyards (Demeter) on the renowned Turckheim granite soils and matured very slowly in the cellar. Benefits significantly from decanting.
Tasting note
Colour & appearance
Luminous, intense golden yellow with brilliant light reflections.
Nose
A wine that craves air. After decanting, it reveals a spectacular cornucopia of citrus, orange, lime, young pineapple and apricot. Spicy accents of fresh ginger and lemongrass intertwine with a pronounced, cool minerality.
Palate
Crystal-clear in structure on the palate: the juicy fruit meets a vibrant, demanding acidity. An immensely present, saline minerality lends the wine an almost savoury umami texture. The delicate fruit sweetness and the dazzling freshness are in flawless balance, ensuring tremendous drinkability.
Terroir & origin
Sourced from vineyard sites within and just below the Grand Cru Brand near Turckheim in Alsace. The local biotite granite (“Turckheim granite”), rich in black mica, weathers into the finest clay, which retains nutrients and moisture. The vines thrive in a warm, early-ripening microclimate on deeply rootable, well-aerated subsoil.
Grape variety & vinification
Pure Riesling from parcels planted in the 1990s and in 2001. The estate is farmed according to Demeter-certified biodynamics. The healthy grapes of the 2019 vintage displayed remarkably high acidity, resulting in a very slow fermentation. At least six months on the lees grant the wine its multi-layered structure at a moderate 12.5% abv.
Food recommendations
Superb with Jerusalem artichoke chips with preserved lemon and camelina oil mayonnaise and sauerkraut with carrots, refined scallop salad with orange and wakame or sliced veal with sage and apricots. Best enjoyed from large glasses!
Special features
Master of Wine Olivier Humbrecht impressively demonstrates here how granitic terroir and biodynamic viticulture translate into a gloriously saline-mineral Riesling. This was one of the last wines of the 2019 vintage to complete its fermentation in the cellar.
