Riesling Clos Häuserer 2023

Wine Description for Riesling Clos Häuserer 2023 from Domaine Zind-Humbrecht

Colour & Appearance

Rich golden yellow with bright reflections – a colour that already promises substance and maturity.

Nose

Here the Clos Häuserer reveals itself in all its splendour: A dense, expressive fruit profile with a yellow emphasis dominates – ripe mirabelle plum, apricot, Williams pear and cantaloupe melon open aromatically. The precision is remarkable: clear, pure in tone, without any yeast or wood influence – pure vineyard site character. Coffee-lime and bergamot bring citric tension and herbal-fruity accents. An elegant floral frame of white flowers, apple blossom and lilac caresses the fruit. Fine nuances of mandarin and orange zest underline the depth, yet never appear opulent – this Riesling remains consistently on the precise, clear side.

Palate

The attack is powerful and round with a creamy, almost melting fruit core. Despite all its fullness, the wine maintains a remarkable lightness, carried by cool freshness and juicy structure. Salivation is stimulated, the drinking flow is enormous. On the palate it shows itself clearer and brighter than on the nose: Nashi pear, yellow apple, bergamot. Fine, almost green herbal notes such as lemon balm, chervil and tarragon appear as accompaniment. The texture is fine-grained, with restrained yet pointed phenolics that give the wine substance and definition. Highly harmonious, highly focused – a Riesling that impresses through inner calm, not through loudness.

Terroir & Origin

The Clos Häuserer lies at the foot of the Grand Cru Hengst in Wintzenheim and was established in 1973 by Léonard Humbrecht. The name derives from the adjacent Häusererweg, which leads to ancient Roman colonies from the 6th century. The Riesling grows on limestone substrate from the Oligocene, covered by 1 to 1.5 metres of calcareous marl. This deep soil warms slowly, possesses exceptional water reserves and enables deep root penetration – the foundation for this vineyard site’s characteristic acidity.

Grape Variety & Vinification

100% Riesling, yield 53 hl/ha. In contrast to many Alsatian Rieslings from 2023, the Clos Häuserer did not suffer from flowering problems – the harvest was magnificent. Slow fermentation in traditional old oak barrels with maturation on full lees until bottling. The result: a dry Riesling with merely 1.6 g/l residual sugar at 4 g/l acidity – a textbook example of precision and balance.

Food Pairing Suggestions

This Riesling demands sophisticated cuisine: scallops with lemon butter, turbot with herb sauce, pan-fried monkfish or veal schnitzel with morels. Also an excellent choice with mature Comté or Beaufort.

Special Characteristics

A Riesling that bears the hallmark of Zind-Humbrecht: uncompromising quality, vineyard site character and biodynamic philosophy united in a wine of remarkable clarity and drinkability.