Zind-Humbrecht | Alsace | Gewürztraminer Hengst Grand Cru | 2018 | 750ml | bio

Description

Product description for Zind-Humbrecht Gewürztraminer Hengst Grand Cru 2018 (bio)

Christoph Raffelt: On the palate, the Grand Cru Hengst is incredibly dense, long, and deep, yet perfectly balanced between the generous fruit and spice on the one hand, and the freshness and minerality that the wine carries within itself on the other. Plenty of yellow stone fruit is present here, as are ginger, cardamom, curry, licorice, and bitter orange. The wine is silky in texture, almost oily in consistency, and zesty on the finish. It is a wine for decades to come.

Wine Information

This wine is produced from two very old vineyards located in the center of the Grand Cru Hengst in Wintzenheim. This red marl-limestone vineyard certainly has the potential to produce a variety of grapes (including red wine), but Gewürztraminer is a difficult and demanding grape variety. In this vineyard, it becomes a wine that can transcend its rich varietal intensity while gaining complexity. The high iron content and the warm, dry microclimate bring structure and beautiful tannin density to the wines of Grand Cru Hengst. This grape has low acidity, which is why, like most red wines, it requires very ripe skins and a good tannin structure. (Olivier Humbrecht)

Vineyard Information

Gewürztraminer is suffering from the current market situation, as it is traditionally a richer wine that requires special attention when pairing with food. Whatever happens, Hengst will always produce some Gewürztraminer at Domaine Zind-Humbrecht! This is such a great terroir, and the 2018 is absolute proof. (Olivier Humbrecht)

Colour

Dense and bright golden yellow.

Nose

It’s already unmistakable on the nose: The 2018 Gewurztraminer Hengst possesses immense power and thrives on intense and compact minerality as well as a distinct spicy note. Ethereal and fresh notes of fresh ginger, orange peel, lavender oil, and even lilac lend it a special touch. It should be opened a day in advance; aromas of cardamom, cumin, gingerbread spice, leather, wood smoke, light tobacco, and forest honey will fill the nose. Fruity aromas of apricot, grapefruit, and banana are also detectable and will become even more pronounced with further maturation.

Palate

This very classic Gewürztraminer presents itself on the tongue as expected, powerful, with a proudly swollen chest, and practically unloads with a mixture of sweet honey and spices. It captivates with its incredible freshness; its acidity is spectacularly precise and fresh, and its minerality is profound and complex, resulting in a wonderful flow. A magnificent specimen, simply beautiful, but not really intended for immediate consumption. You should keep a few bottles in your cellar, because in a few years, you can unleash a veritable firework of aromas with it.

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Keywords: Zind-Humbrecht Gewürztraminer Hengst Grand Cru 2018 bio Alsace France

Wine Advocate

Score: 94

From vines averaging 67 years of age in a medium to steep-sloping, south/southeast-facing cru on calcareous marl soils, the golden-colored 2018 Gewurztraminer Hengst opens with a deep and flinty, spicy and aromatic nose with lychee and blood orange zest and limon juice aromas. Rich and elegant on the palate, this is a full-bodied, dense and sustainable Gewurztraminer with candied bitters on the long and intense, clear and finely tannic finish. Sweet but not overly so (43.8 grams per liter of residual sugar), this is an excellent wine to pair with spicy dishes. The acidity here is remarkably vital and intermingled with the stimulating tannins. The alcohol is rather moderate for Gewurztraminer. Bottled in August 2019. 13% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted in January 2023.
Stephan Reinhardt

Producer website: http://www.zindhumbrecht.fr/