Zind Humbrecht Pinot Gris Rotenberg – 2019

Here are Olivier Humbrecht’s tasting details about this wine:-

Bottling date: 2/2021; Alcohol: 13.1° alc; Residual sweetness: 1.1 g/l; Total Acidity 5.2 g/l H2SO4 (8.0 g/l Tartaric), pH: 3.2; Yields: 23 hl/ha; Optimum drinking period: 2025-2040+; Average age of vines: 38 years; Terroir: Oligocene calcareous. West to northwest facing. Steep slope. Indice 1.

The Rotenberg vineyard is located on the west to north-west side of the Grand Cru Hengst in Wintzenheim, on a red coloured limestone (siliceous marl calcareous from the Oligocene period). The top soil is very thin, partly due to the steep slope but also the limestone is relatively poor. The Rotenberg is a relatively late ripening vineyard considering the precocity of the village. Definitely, both the altitude and north-west facing help greatly to slow down the sugar increase on this fast ripening grape variety. In the past, it was a favoured place for producing late harvest style wines. Today, earlier harvests and a much drier weather pushes for producing much drier wines, and the Rotenberg vineyard adapted to this change of style brilliantly. Production is very low. The vines show nice vigour but carry a very small number of clusters, which in turn are very small. The consequence, especially in 2019, is that the wines from Rotenberg show a firm structure. Slow to ferment, the wild yeasts eventually managed to ferment this wine absolutely bone dry, to our great satisfaction!

Tasting note: bright clear yellow colour. The nose exhibits delicate ripe white fruits aromas (peach, nectarines….). The limestone influence influences strongly the wine in giving a sharp citrus aromatic profile. The first impression on the palate is of a very strict, racy, super dry, vertical mouthfeel. I am sure some people will look at the label to check if they didn’t take a Riesling Clos Häuserer by mistake! This is a very concentrated wine with a vigorous acidity that makes the finish taste almost light. Bright and luminous finish, it should age for ever!