Wine information
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 Clos Jebsal vineyard is located in the immediate vicinity of the Brand and Heimbourg vineyards in Turckheim. However, the Clos has a different soil; because it is the only site in Turckheim where both Keuper, blue clay and gypsum are found. This is also the reason for the name Jebsalwhich means »là où il y a du gypse« - where the gypsum is. The marl soils are deep, cool and have exceptional water-holding capacity. This Clos regularly produces wines of over-ripeness , which is directly related to the soil moisture. The Clos is located, facing south, on a steep slope, which promotes soil warming and results in good drainage. In 2017, there was a Beerenauslese for the first time in years.
Fermentation
The wine has 188 g/l of residual sugar with 5.4 g of acidity and a pH of 3.45. The yield was 14 hl/ha.
Color
intense golden yellow
Nose
The Sélection de Grains Nobles from Clos Jebsal shows an intense nose of citrus fruits cooked down, just as if one were preparing a bitter orange marmalade and refining it with lemon pieces, stone fruit and vanilla. The high level of botrytis is evident in a scent of honey, beeswax and varnish. Nevertheless, the wine does not seem really sweet on the nose, but rather creamy.
Mouth
The palate shows great richness of lush stone fruit but is infused with bright fresh citrus, cool stone, some hazelnut and candied orange peel. Needless to say, this is an indulgent wine with great sweetness. But this is very expertly balanced, never seeming heavy, rather floating and harmonious with great length and density. On the finish, the sweetness meets bitter-spicy and spicy notes. This is not a wine for now, it should be put aside for a few more years before it can be enjoyed for decades.
Food recommendations by Christoph Raffelt
- Breast of pigeon with roasted duck liver and roasted apple slices
- Grilled lobster tails with tandoori orange cream
- Walnut tartlet with apricot sauce
Allergens | Contains sulfur |
---|---|
Winemaker | Domaine Zind-Humbrecht |
Country | France |
Region | Alsace |
Type | |
Vintage | |
Variety | |
Content | |
Alcohol content | |
Residual sweetness | ■■■■■ |
Acid | 7,7 g/l |
Drinking temperature | 12° |
Manufacturer | Domaine Zind Humbrecht, 4 Route de Colmar, 68230 Turckheim / France, Organic certificate: FR-BIO-01 |