Zind-Humbrecht
Visiting France's Alsace wine region, part 4
Olivier Humbrecht
Zind Humbrecht is one of the great Alsace
wine domaines. Possibly the greatest?
The current domaine dates from 1959 when
the holdings of the Zind and Humbrecht families were merged. But the
Humbrechts have been winegrowers since 1620, although it is only
since 1947 that they’ve been producing, vinfying and selling their
own wines.
The domaine is 40 hectares, with 18 ha of
vineyard holdings in Turckheim and the rest spread across Hunawihr
(6.2), Thann (5.5), Gueberschwihr (2.4) and Wintzenheim (8.3). The
spanking new winery is situated in the middle of the Herrenweg
vineyard in Turckheim, unfortunately one of the less scenic Alsace
villages (although with wines as good as this, who needs
scenery).
Things are currently run by the powerful
figure of Olivier Humbrecht, a youthful-looking 50, who is an MW and
acts as an articulate exponent of biodynamic viticulture, something
he adopted back in 1997. Olivier has been instrumental in setting up
Biodyvin, a certifying body for biodynamics that focuses solely on
winegrowing. The cost to join is 100 times cheaper than the main
biodynamic certifying organization, and Olivier says it is a very
friendly group all working in the same directon.
Olivier talked about some of the soils he
farms. In Grand Cru Brand, there’s black and white mica. Black
mica is degraded by bacteria in the soils which produces clay and
minerals, making it very interesting for growing wine grapes. Some
granite is like growing vines in hydroponic culture; it is the
microbiological activity in some granite soils that makes them
interesting. Herrenweg is the vineyard around the winery; it’s
flat, with gravelly, alluvial soils. ‘The best 20% of the valley
floor is better than 40% of the slopes,’ says Olivier. ‘But the
very best sites are on the slopes.’ Soils on the valley floor that
are covered by loess (wind-blown soil) are the least interesting
because these are too fertile.
‘What do you want to taste?’, asked
Olivier. ‘Everything you want to show us,’ was my instinctive
reply, which I suspect upset one or two of my colleagues who
didn’t really want a mammoth tasting. But that’s what we got,
and what a treat it was.
THE
WINES
Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Blanc 2010
Alsace, France
Two-thirds Auxerrois, the balance Pinot Blanc. Lively and
complex with mineral and spice notes. Real presence here, with a
citrussy core. 90/100
Zind-Humbrecht Zind 2010 Vin de Table,
France
From Clos Windsbuhl, two-thirds Chardonnay and one-third
Auxerrois. Lively, intense and citrussy. Very bold and pithy with
grapefruit notes as well as pear, apple and peach. So bold with
great acidity. 92/100
Zind-Humbrecht Muscat Herrenweg 2010
Alsace, France
Lovely grapey, aromatic nose with some melon notes. The palate
has tangerine and grape with some herby notes and a dry, pithy
finish. A blend of Ottonel and Petits Grains Muscats. 89/100
Zind-Humbrecht Muscat Grand Cru
Goldert 2010 Alsace, France
Marl/limestone soils, 9 g/litre sugar. Restrained and quite
mineral with lovely pith notes and grapey fruit. Nice density of
citrus and grapefruit with good freshness and some mineral notes.
91/100
Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Terroir
d’Alsace 2010 Alsace, France
From granite and gravel soils. Pithy, taut and dry with
minerally citrus fruit. Nice density and high acidity. Bone dry
despite 4 g/litre of sugar. 90/100
Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Guebberschwihr
2010 Alsace, France
Limestone soils, 8 g/litre sugar. Full yellow colour. Mineral,
citrussy, lively with some richness and amazing grapefruit
minerality. So bold and fresh with a mineral finish. Really lively.
93/100
Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Heimbourg 2010
Alsace, France
Next to Brand, Heimbourg has limestone soils. Not too aromatic,
but has lovely volume and power on the palate. Mineral with
crystalline fruit, and pear and citrus, as well as ripe apple.
Generous but dry, with good acid. 92/100
Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Clos Windsbuhl
2010 Alsace, France
This is a late-ripening, high altitude limestone vineyard site
with lots of seashells. Full yellow colour. Incredibly lively, dry
and mineral with dense, taut, citrus and white peach fruit. Great
acidity with lovely full, ripe fruit. So mineral. 95/100
Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Clos Hauserer
2010 Alsace, France
Marl/limestone soils at the bottom of Grand Cru Hengst. Vines
planted in 1973. Rounded melon, citrus and apple fruit with fine
citrus and mineral finish. Hint of sweetness from the 8 g/litre
sugar. 93/100
Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Clos St Urbain
Grand Cru Rangen de Thann 2010 Alsace, France
Higher altitude site with later harvest. Zind-Humbrecht have
5.5. hectares of this vineyard. Very aromatic sweet melon and
apricot nose with a rich peach and melon fruit palate. Soft and
intense. Lovely generosity: so delicious. 94/100
Zind-Humbrecht Grand Cru Brand
Riesling 2010 Alsace, France
Granite soils. 33 g/litre residual sugar, some botrytis.
Powerful, high-acid style with grapefruit, melon, apricot and
marmalade notes, as well as tangerine. Rich and textured but lovely
with some sweetness offset by amazing acidity. Thrilling. 95/100
Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Grand Cru
Brand Vieilles Vignes Vendanges Tardive 2010 Alsace, France
14% alcohol, 60 g/litre sugar. Pure intense citrussy nose with
some fresh melon sweetness. Rich, bold, thick-textured palate with
peach, melon and citrus, as well as spice and apricot. Creamy and
broad, lively and concentrated. 94/100
Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Calcaire
2010 Alsace, France
From young vines in Clos Windsbuhl. Rounded and lively with
melon and grape fruit. Bold, textured. Nicely rounded with an
attractive freshness. 90/100
Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Herrenweg de
Turckheim 2010 Alsace, France
28 g/litre residual sugar, from 20–25 year old vines. Rich
gold/yellow colour. Lovely open melon, herb, lemon fruit nose. The
palate is grapey and melony with some satsuma notes. Off-dry and
lovely. 92/100
Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Heimbourg
2010 Alsace, France
Full yellow colour. Lively crystalline fruit and herbs with some
minerals and a bit of smoky bacon. Also some marmalade and spice.
Boldly textured with real finesse combined with power. Fermentation
was stopped at 15 g/litre residual sugar. 93/100
Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Clos
Windsbuhl 2010 Alsace, France
Harvested 10 days after the young vines were for Calcaire, with
just clean fruit and no botrytis. Bold, richly textured, with
interesting minerality and a bit of spice. Lovely pear and melon
fruit. Textured, beautiful and balanced with richness and finesse.
94/100
Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Clos St
Urbain, Grand Cru Rangen de Thann 2010 Alsace, France
Noble rot harvested alongside healthy fruit. 49 g/litre residual
sugar. Wondefully spicy, smoky, mineral reductive nose. Grapey,
herby, complex and lively. The palate is concentrated, powerful,
lively and complex with sweetness and rich texture. Pear, peach and
grape fruit. Powerful and balanced: an amazing wine. 97/100
Zind-Humbrecht Gewürztraminer 2011
Alsace, France
Gewürz was a disaster in 2010. Perfumed with attractive sweet
lychee, pear and grape notes. Very pretty but not confected, and
dry-ish with 8–9 g/litre sugar. 89/100
Zind-Humbrecht Gewürztraminer
Calcaire 2010 Alsace, France
A small crop, from Goldert and other vineyards. Beautifully
perfumed, open and sweet with melon, honey, herb and marmalade
notes. Sweet and intense but with high acidity adding tension and
personality. 93/100
Zind-Humbrecht Gewürxtraminer Grand
Cru Hengst 2010 Alsace, France
Low yields of 9 hl/hectare. 37 g/litre sugar. Rich yellow colour.
Melon, peach, honey and spice notes. Rounded, rich and textured with
lovely texture. Concentrated and bold with amazing richness. Lovely
balance with some sweetness and notes of ginger. 94/100
Zind-Humbrecht Gewürztraminer Grand
Cru Hengst 2008 Alsace, France
Honey, melon and lychee. Rich aromatics. Rounded, peachy and
melony. Lush and ripe with good balance. It is quite sweet with 48
g/litre sugar, but there’s some spiciness balancing this.
Brilliant wine. 95/100
Zind-Humbrecht Gewürztraminer Clos St
Urbain Grand Cru Rangen de Thann 2010 Alsace, France
Rounded, taut and peppery with some fresh melon and grape notes.
Lively, rich and bold. Mineral, grown-up wine with some fatness but
also lovely spicy minerality and some smoky notes. Brilliant. 95/100
Zind-Humbrecht Gewürztraminer Clos
Windsbuhl 2010 Alsace, France
60 g/litre residual sugar. Rich, bold, ripe and sweet with rich
melon notes and a hint of lychee. Rounded and smooth. A rich, sweet
wine that’s very pretty. 93/100
Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Vendange
Tardive 2010 Alsace, France
From two vineyards with gravelly soils, 90 g/litre sugar. Very
lively, rich and sweet with bold grapey notes and some spice and
pear. Very rich but balanced. 92/100
Zind-Humbrecht Gewürztraminer
Vendange Tardive 2010 Alsace, France
10.5% alcohol, 114 g/litre residual sugar. Rich lychee, melon
and spice notes as well as some apricot. Very pure, sweet and
concentrated with bold grapey notes. Brilliant stuff. 94/100
Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Vendange
Tardive Clos Windsbuhl 2005 Alsace, France
Amazing smoking mineral edge to the very sweet, ripe melony
fruit. Some crystalline notes. Wonderfully ripe, open and sweet with
melon, ripe apple, herb and spice, as well as apple pie and vanilla.
Amazing complexity. 97/100
Zind-Humbrecht Gewürztraminer Clos
Windsbuhl 2005 Alsace, France
Amazing nose of nectarine, satsuma and grape with incredible
purity. The palate is textured and powerful: very sweet with melon,
tangerine, mandarin and spice notes. Smooth with some minerality, as
well as peppery freshness that offsets the sweetness. Incredible.
97/100
VISITING
ALSACE
Part 1, Paul Blanck
Part 2, Clement Klur
Part 3, Schlumberger
Part 4, Zind Humbrecht
Part 5, Albert Boxler
Part 6, Dirler-Cadé
Part 7, Josmeyer
See
also: pictures from the vineyards of
Alsace,
part 1, Paul Blanck
Wines
tasted 06/12
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