Zind-Humbrecht | Alsace | Pinot Gris Rangen de Thann Clos-Saint-Urbain Grand Cru | 2008 | 750ml | bio

Description

Product description for Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Rangen de Thann Clos-Saint-Urbain Grand Cru 2008 (bio)

Wine Information

Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer often behave similarly in Rangen, and very differently from Riesling. In 2008, the volcanic, rocky soil of Rangen produced very high acidity in Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer with noble rot, especially in the lower part of the clos, which is closest to the river and benefits from the moisture there. Fermentation is usually quick in Rangen wines, but in 2008, due to the pronounced noble rot, it took some time (6 months); sweetness and acidity were clearly pronounced. 2008 was a very balanced vintage in Rangen; the soil was green and lush in the summer because there was enough water, no water stress, and a very beautiful autumn meant the grapes retained an amazing acid structure.

Color

Dense, bright, intense golden yellow.

Nose

The 2008 Pinot Gris Rangen de Thann Clos-Saint-Urbain captivates the nose with fruity aromas of pineapple, orange, dried fig, baked apple, mango, and quince. This is accompanied by the characteristic smoky scent of the volcanic rock on which it grew and by an intense aromatic wealth of spices such as cardamom, saffron, and cinnamon. A masterpiece full of expression and power awaits us.

Palate

The smoky and earthy notes are also evident on the palate, combined with beautifully opulent fruit and a vibrant and incredibly invigorating acidity. The 2008 vintage offers wines that, thanks to their structure, appear incredibly lively and youthful, wonderful to taste and enrich a variety of combinations with expressive cuisine.

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Keywords: Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Rangen de Thann Clos-Saint-Urbain Grand Cru 2008 bio Alsace France

Wine Advocate

Score: 94

The golden-colored 2008 Pinot Gris Rangen de Thann Clos Saint Urbain is based on very low yields (21 hectoliters per hectare) and offers a deep, pure, intense and elegant nose of ripe and stewed apricots and peaches intermingled with delicate flinty notes of crushed stones. On the palate, this is a rich but most of all very elegant and even filigreed Saint Urbain Pinot with a stimulating saline and grippy, beautifully tart finish. The wine is fresh and lively, and the sweetness comes as fruit rather than as sugar. It’s rare, moderate anyway, given this spectacular elegant and vivacious acidity. This is a superb and gastronomic Pinot Gris from one of if not the greatest vineyard in Alsace. The saline and crunchy finish is remarkably uplifting here. The 2008 is much better than former reviewers have thought and certainly is tensioned. Bottled in February 2010 with 12.5% stated alcohol with 46 grams per liter of residual sugar. Natural cork. Tasted in January 2023.
“In 2008, the volcanic rocky soil of the Rangen produced some very high-acid Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer and allowed some noble rot to develop, especially in the bottom part of the Clos,” wrote Olivier Humbrecht in his vintage report at the time. In contrast to other vintages, the fermentation in the Rangen wines took six months and “was very lazy, keeping a higher amount of sweetness, certainly because of the very high acidity in the grapes.” He describes 2008 as “a very balanced vintage in the Rangen, allowing the soils to be green in summer because there was enough water. … With less stress and a nice late season, the grapes retained a lot of amazing acid structure.”
David Schildknecht

Vinous

Score: 96+

(12.5% alcohol): Bright straw-yellow. Discreet aromas of fresh berries, pear, smoky gunflint and chamomile. Expressive soil-inflected, highly nuanced but austere flavors of lime, nectarine, minerals and nut oils display outstanding palate-staining concentration. Finishes very long, with a penetrating quality to its mineral and stone fruit flavors and a noteworthy light touch. A wine of nostril-piquing intensity but less ripe and complex than the 2010; by comparison, this 2008 is even more saline. The 2008 weather during the growth cycle was similar to 2010’s in that the summer was very cool but the late fall brought warm conditions. A little noble rot developed in 2008 (especially in the bottom part of the Clos nearest to the Thur river, where humidity is higher), making for a more complex wine. This wine is even higher in acidity than the 2010 and the fermentation took six months, which is atypically long for a Rangen wine, as the yeasts had a hard time due to the very high acidity in the grapes. And so the 2008 Pinot Gris Clos Saint Urbain carries higher-than-usual residual sugar of 46 grams per liter–paired with an almost unheard-of-for-the-variety 8.8 g/l of acidity and a pH of just 3.0 that largely buffers the wine’s sweetness. As is usual in most vintages, there isn’t much of the 2008 Pinot Gris Clos Saint Urbain to go around, as the yield was just 21 hectoliters per hectare.
— Ian D’Agata
Drinking window: 2020 – 2042
Review date: Jun 2016

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