Bottler: Domaine Zind Humbrecht, 4 Route de Colmar, 68230 Turckheim / France
In the glass
Colour
Bright, dense golden yellow with delicate lightening towards the rim.
Nose
An intense fruit basket of citrus, orange, lime, fresh pineapple, mango and passion fruit, topped with ginger, lemongrass, stony minerality and a hint of liquid honey.
Palate
Dense, finely fruit-sweet richness with exotic fruit, integrated, precise acidity and fine tannins that lend a subtly bitter touch.
Character
Open and expressive, yet profound and substantial; a dry Riesling with energy, structure and noticeable ageing potential over the coming years.
Pairing
Scallops with orange and wakame salad, goose liver from non-force-fed geese with physalis, ginger and brioche, or Jerusalem artichoke chips with salted lemon and camelina oil mayonnaise and sauerkraut with carrots.
Notes
The “second” wine of the Grand Cru Brand from vines averaging 36 years old on granite, supplemented in 2018 by a small proportion of young vines from the Sommerberg Grand Cru; slow, steady fermentation, vinified dry, with a recommendation to decant and good cellaring potential.
Tasting note
Colour & appearance
Bright golden yellow, dense and profound, with subtle lightening towards the rim – a wine that promises substance even visually.
Nose
A basket brimming with exotic delights: citrus, orange and lime meet fresh pineapple, mango and passion fruit. These are joined by fresh ginger, lemongrass and a pronounced stony vein, evoking warm granite after a summer rain. A touch of liquid honey completes the picture. Open, intense and inviting.
Palate
The fruit unfolds with density and fine fruity sweetness, carried by a precise acidity that is beautifully integrated into the exotic richness. A fine tannin lends a delicately bitter edge and structure – making it an exquisite food companion. Despite its open character, it possesses good ageing potential for the years ahead.
Finish
Long and distinctly stony, with persistent fruit and that slightly phenolic note which distinguishes great Rieslings from poor soils.
Terroir & origin
The vines are rooted in the granite soils of the Grand Cru Brand near Turckheim – a vineyard site renowned for its cool elegance and finely chiselled structure. In 2018, young vines from the Grand Cru Sommerberg were also included (less than ten per cent). Olivier Humbrecht, the first French Master of Wine, has farmed the estate’s 42 hectares according to certified biodynamic principles since 2002 – an approach he describes as “therapy for the vines to forget stress”.
Grape variety & vinification
Riesling from vines averaging 36 years of age – the “second wine” of the Grand Cru Brand vineyard site, sourced from its younger vines. In 2018, the grapes ripened rapidly to achieve perfect balance. Fermentation was slow but steady, finishing dry. As with all the estate’s wines, this cuvée was aged on the lees for at least six months – a luxury of patience that few producers can afford.
Food recommendations
The exotic fruit and fine tannin make this Riesling an ideal partner for scallops with orange and wakame salad, foie gras with physalis and ginger, or the earthy combination of Jerusalem artichoke chips with sauerkraut and carrots. Its delicate bitterness also stands up well to more highly spiced dishes.
Special features
This wine demonstrates how granite unites spice and elegance – a lesson in Alsatian geology. Olivier Humbrecht’s biodynamic work and the extended lees ageing bestow upon it a texture that makes patience its guiding principle. Decant and enjoy from large glasses.
