Zind Humbrecht Gewurztraminer Turckheim – 2021

Bottling date: 8/2022; Alcohol: 13.7° alc; Residual sweetness: 7 g/l; Total Acidity 3.5 g/l H2SO4 (5.5 g/l Tartaric acid ), pH: 3.6; Yields: 27 hl/ha; Optimum drinking period: 2023-2036; Average age of the vines: 52 years; Terroir: gravely soil and silt on valley floor; Indice 1/EU Dry wine.

Olivier Humbrecht MW’s tasting note:-

This wine is traditionally produced from the younger vines on the alluvial gravelly soils of the Herrenweg in Turckheim. Younger vines at an average of 52 years old ! because the older vines are actually much older ! These vineyards ripen early and quickly, especially in vintages which do not suffer from summer droughts, as in 2021. Being able to obtain early a good physiological ripeness allows to pick early hoping for the wine to achieve a slightly drier style compared to the past. These vineyards produced beautiful grapes, but a lot were lost through frost and mildew in early spring. The wine fermented quickly and finished in a dry style. The high acidity of the wine allows us to still present it as dry wine under the local legislation, and it does taste dry !

12/2022: Pale yellow colour. Fragrant floral and complex nose (ancient roses) but also hint of spice, nutmeg, green pepper. This wine really opens up nicely with aeration and time. Elegant and vibrant palate showing a refreshing acidity on the finish. Long and enjoyable, it is a surprising gewurztraminer, very food friendly that can be enjoyed early but will also improve with time.

“Enticing nose of lemon balm, smoke, papaya and lychee. Very good concentration for this humble appellation. Lively acidity for the grape variety with some salty minerality. Mostly from vines planted in the 1980s and 1990s. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink now.” 90pts Stuart Piggott for James Suckling