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Zind Humbrecht Pinot Gris Rangen de Thann Grand Cru 2018

BOTTLE:
$204.00
Out of stock
SKU
69008
HALF-DOZEN: $1,162.80 or $193.80 each
DOZEN: $2,203.20 or $183.60 each
Producer: Zind-Humbrecht
Country: France
Region: Alsace
Grape: Pinot Gris
Size: BTL
Vintage: 2018

Smoky stoniness initially fills the nose on this wine. With a little more air, pear fruitiness comes though while a flinty glint of reduction smoulders in the background. The palate comes with the gentlest sweetness and still needs to knit together. Ample fruit, great energy and immense concentration are all evident in one juicy sip. This is a powerhouse of a wine, coiled tightly and streamlined into a toned swoop. It will release its force in due course. (95) WINE ENTHUSIAST

The Rangen Grand Cru is located at the southern end of the Alsace wine road, on a very steep south facing hillside, directly over the river Thur. The Clos-Saint-Urbain takes his name from a small iconic chapel built in the middle of the vineyard. Saddly the original chapel that was built at the end of the 15th century got destroyed during the French revolution, and again during first world war. The current chapel was rebuilt after along the middle of the Clos. The soil of the Rangen is a unique volcanic sedimentary rock. Ashes and smokes from a nearby volcano sedimented under the sea and got compacted into rocks as the Vosges mountains were formed. The Rangen has the ability to dramatically influence the style of the wine. If the Riesling is an obvious choice in this vineyard, it is arguably the Pinot-Gris that actually transcends and makes one with the vineyard. If the slope, sun exposure, altitude… can explain the richness of the wines of the Rangen, it is the soil that construct their personality and character. The 2018 was harvested at the perfect ripeness, but nature being nature, the yeasts decided to leave a very small amount of sweetness in the wine -indice 2- probably also influenced by a very small amount of noble rot.

Bright intense yellow with some gold. The nose is bold, powerful, developing intense flinty aromas, smoke, wet humus… The palate is surprisingly tight and elegant. Smaller berries brought a slightly higher concentration in tannins. The wine is caressing the palate, develops a velvety structure. Beautiful harmony and bright finish. He acidity of the Rangen wines is particularly saline (volcanic rock) and this is the major taste on the finish of this wine. Grand vin, for keeping! OLIVIER HUMBRECHT MW