Pinot Gris Clos Windsbuhl 2021

Wine Description for Pinot Gris Clos Windsbuhl 2021 from Domaine Zind-Humbrecht

Colour & Appearance

Luminous, pale golden yellow in the glass – a visual promise of concentration and maturity that already hints at the origin from an extraordinary terroir.

Nose

Extraordinarily complex and mineral-driven. Quince and white peach meet ripe pear and apple skin, underpinned by white bread crust and freshly whipped salted butter. A hint of sea breeze lends the bouquet an almost maritime elegance – Olivier Humbrecht’s signature in its finest, most precise form.

Palate

Glides across the tongue: saline notes and playful acidity form the backbone, whilst pale yellow fruit and fine malty nuances provide spice and structure. The texture is silky, the balance between fruit and minerality perfectly calibrated. A Pinot Gris that already shines as a standalone wine, but reaches its peak when paired with aromatic, flavour-intense cuisine.

Finish

Long, precise and suffused with a saline minerality that lingers for some time. The freshness remains intact, without ever becoming intrusive.

Terroir & Origin

The Clos Windsbuhl lies in an exposed high-altitude location near the Vosges and was long considered a late-ripening terroir. Climate change has significantly improved conditions for dry Pinot Gris – botrytis occurs less frequently, harvesting takes place earlier, and the wines gain in precision and elegance.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Pinot Gris is the dominant grape variety in Clos Windsbuhl. The 2021 benefits from an earlier harvest in early to mid-September, which enables a drier, more refined style – a counterpoint to the sweeter late harvests of previous decades. Decanting is recommended; ideally serve in large Burgundy glasses at moderate temperature.

Food Pairing Suggestions

Confit egg yolk in miso oil with cauliflower and leek butter, udon noodles with prawns, shiitake dashi and bonito flakes or Dover sole with sea urchin chicken skin crust and potato foam – the wine harmonises brilliantly with umami-rich, aromatic cuisine.

Special Features

A textbook example of Olivier Humbrecht’s increasingly refined and precise style. This Pinot Gris demonstrates how climate change in Alsace also presents opportunities: greater dryness, greater elegance, greater drinkability – without any loss of complexity.