Gewürztraminer Hengst Grand Cru 2017

Vintage

The 2017 vintage will go down in the history of this wine estate. For Olivier Humbrecht, it is one of the three best vintages since the foundation of the wine estate in 1959. However, this time frost and hail limited the yield to less than 20 hl/ha on average. After an early budbreak, two cold spells with sub-zero temperatures on April 21 and 22 exposed even those areas that were more sheltered to frost. An unusually freezing easterly wind froze vines in vineyards like the Herrenweg de Turckheim, which never froze to death in the 60 years Olivier's father has been involved. A hailstorm in the Brand vineyard fortunately remained without major consequences. Midsummer was hot, August milder, and the harvest started on August 29 with Pinot Gris Roche Roulée, followed by terroirs like Rotenberg, Heimbourg, Goldert ... A little rain on September 2 accelerated the ripening. The Rieslings were harvested from 11 September and the harvest finished with Rangen, Hengst and Clos Jebsal on 26 September. Only in Clos Jebsal were there minor signs of botrytis.

Vineyard

The Gewurztraminer comes from very old parcels of the Grand Cru Hengst in Wintzenheim. The first parcel was purchased by Emile Zind in 1948. The second parcel, possibly planted as early as in 1920, was purchased in 1978. More than the age, however, the selection of the plants is decisive, compared to what can be found in modern clones. Gewurztraminer and Hengst form a unique organism. As proof of this, it should be pointed out that the plots created later with young clones have already been rededicated. The clones were not able to produce a great wine.

Fermentation

The wine has 62 g/l residual sugar with 2.5 g acidity and 3.8 pH. The yield was 21 hl/ha.

Golden yellow

The Gewurztraminer from the Grand Cru site Hengst in Wintzenheim shows its residual sugar, its intensity, its depth and tension already in the bouquet. It seems like a wine for the cooler season. At first there are some notes of quince, pumpkin and fennel, before more and more yellow stone fruit and orange marmalade, cinnamon, gingerbread, beeswax, saffron, anise and pepper appear. A very subtle, barely perceptible hint of botrytis shows up as it warms. Overall, however, the Gewurztraminer Stallion pure, clear and full of finesse.

On the palate the Grand Cru Stallion enormously dense, long as well as deep and absolutely balanced between generous fruit and spice on the one hand and freshness and minerality on the other hand, which the wine carries in itself. A lot of yellow stone fruit is present here, as well as ginger, cardamom, curry and liquorice as well as bitter orange. The wine is silky in texture, almost oily in texture and zesty on the finish. It is a wine for decades to come.