Zind Humbrecht Pinot Gris Turckheim – 2022

Olivier Humbrecht MW’s notes

Bottling date: 8/2023; Alcohol: 12.2° alc; Residual sweetness: 2.1 g/l; Total Acidity 3.7 g/l H2SO4 (5.7 g/l Tartaric acid), pH: 3.5; Yields: 50 hl/ha; Optimum drinking period: 2024-2032; Average age of the vines: 31 years; Terroir: gravely soil on valley floor. Indice 1/EU Dry wine.

This wine originates from the gravelly and sandy loam soils left by the glaciers and the river Fecht running down the Munster Valley. The hot and dry 2022 vintage was tough on these vineyards, turning what should have been a generous harvest into a small crop for most grapes, except Pinot-Gris! We recently could see that Pinot-Gris was more resistant to both winter and spring frost, but it appears that it is a little more resistant to drought. The vines do turn yellow as fast as Riesling or Gewurztraminer, but the vines are able to ripen the grapes better, with less crop loss in proportion as well. Pinot-Gris is the grape that will eventually rot the fastest and earlier, so it is crucial to harvest it at the right moment. This is always the first vineyard harvested on the domaine: 22^nd August in 2022. We stopped the harvest a few days after, such was the advance compared to all other vineyards.

1/2024: pale yellow bright colour. The nose is precise and fresh, showing white fruits (pears, apples…) and hints of honey. The palate is elegant, medium power with a surprising juicy acidity not to be expected in such a warm year. The mouthfeel shows a welcoming lightness but is supported by good density and a very dry finish. It almost feels like a dry Riesling! Open, easy to drink today, it should offer some nice evolution in the years to come.