Bottler: Domaine Zind Humbrecht, 4 Route de Colmar, 68230 Turckheim / France
In the glass
Colour
Intense straw yellow.
Nose
Initially intense gunpowder notes, then flowers, bright citrus fruit and curry spice; with increasing aeration it becomes stony, earthy and ever more profound.
Palate
Mouth-filling and juicy with clear citrus fruit, smoky flinty notes, fine creaminess and silky tannins; accompanied by salt, iodine, wax and resin, with tremendous length and tension.
Character
A wine of cool, austere power yet seductive richness – powerful, deep and of great substance, comparable to the Riesling from the same vineyard site.
Pairing
Steamed sole on lobster bisque with fennel seeds, saddle of hare with mushroom ragout and poached pears in white wine, or saffron asparagus risotto.
Notes
From 54-year-old vines on the steepest vineyard in Alsace with volcanic soil; biodynamically farmed (Demeter-certified since 2002), aged for 18 months in cask on full lees; according to Olivier Humbrecht, the 2017 vintage ranks among the three finest since the estate was founded.
Tasting note
Colour & appearance
Intense straw yellow, already announcing in the glass that substance and ripeness have come together here.
Nose
Greatness from the very first moment: gunpowder and smoke rise up, followed by blossom, bright citrus notes and the spice of curry. With increasing aeration, the wine becomes stonier, earthier, more powerful – a nose that deepens minute by minute.
Palate
Cool, austere power meets immediate seduction. Mouth-filling and juicy, with bright, citrally clear fruit, alongside smoky, flinty notes. Fine creaminess and a silky tannin structure lend texture. Stony spice, salt, iodine, wax and resin run through the wine, endowing it with rare complexity.
Finish
Outstanding length, marked by a tension one would otherwise seek in Riesling from the same vineyard site. The substance is enormous, the aftertaste deep and mineral.
Terroir & origin
The Grand Cru Rangen de Thann, at 68 degrees the steepest vineyard site in Alsace, towers above the town of Thann. On 5.5 hectares of volcanic rock, wines of mineral intensity are produced. The 54-year-old vines have driven their roots deep into soil strewn with volcanic rubble and angular stones – a terroir that particularly benefits from biodynamic farming.
Grape variety & vinification
Pinot Gris from a vintage Olivier Humbrecht ranks among the three finest since 1959. Frost and hail limited yields to 26 hl/ha. The grapes were harvested before overripeness set in; fermentation was vigorous and went right through to dryness. Maturation took place over 18 months in cask on the full lees – a process that gives the wine its texture and depth. With 1.6 g/l residual sugar, 3 g acidity and pH 3.6, this is a dry Pinot Gris of unusual precision.
Food recommendations
A wine for demanding pairings: steamed sole on lobster bisque with fennel seeds mirrors the maritime salinity. Saddle of hare with mushroom ragout and white wine pears picks up the earthy spice. Asparagus risotto with saffron finds an equal partner in the creamy texture.
Special features
Pinot Gris can be great – even if all too rarely so. This Rangen proves it: the combination of volcanic soil, extreme slope and the patience of an estate that releases no wine without one to two years of maturation creates a white wine with Riesling-like tension and Burgundian richness. Olivier Humbrecht, France’s first Master of Wine, describes biodynamics as “therapy for the vines to forget stress” – in this glass, that approach becomes tangible.
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