Pinot Gris "Clos Jebsal" 2022 Zind Humbrecht | Alsace

Domaine Zind-Humbrecht 's Pinot Gris Clos Jebsal is born on the steep slopes overlooking Turckheim, Alsace, in a tiny 1.3-hectare vineyard reconstituted in 1983 by the Humbrecht family and held in monopoly ever since. With its southern exposure and terraced structure on a fault of gray marl and Keuper gypsum, Clos Jebsal is a terroir capable of accumulating precious water reserves in its soils and remarkable acid freshness in the berries it produces. Long associated with Vendanges Tardives and Sélections de Grains Nobles thanks to its natural propensity for botrytis, the hillside has seen its identity evolve with recent years and global warming, and today gives rise to dry wines of unusual intensity for Pinot Gris. The 2022 vintage, harvested at optimal ripeness for a dry white wine in this sunny climate, has been aged with the usual precision of Domaine Zind Humbrecht, in certified biodynamic viticulture, to offer a concentrated, taut wine endowed with a racy, saline energy.

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin : The dry profile of Pinot Gris Clos Jebsal 2022 marks a turning point for Jebsal wines. The historic power of the site is no longer expressed in over-ripeness, but in a verticality and freshness that draw on the natural water reserve of the gypsum marl. As a result, the wine has a very special staying power, at once ample in texture and animated by a freshness that gives it unexpected length. Domaine Zind Humbrecht has taken full advantage of the evolution of this terroir to give Jebsal wines an assertive character and ageing potential, even in dry white, without sacrificing the concentration for which the Clos is renowned.

The nose opens with discreet aromas of white fruit, mingling with notes of citron and yellow lemon zest with aeration. A touch of orange peel brings a more lively relief, while a spicy register, marked by nuances of ginger and anise, completes the expression. The bouquet is youthful, and will need a few years to open up fully. The background remains dominated by a very pure mineral impression, the signature of the Clos Jebsal's gray marls.

On the palate, the wine is rich despite its dry character, and evolves with elegance over a fresh acid framework. The mineral column gives the wine a saline energy that balances the softness of the silky texture. The slender finish is adorned with noble bitters, indicating that a few more years of patience will be needed to enjoy this Pinot Gris Clos Jebsal at its peak drinking.