Riesling Rangen de Thann "Clos Saint Urbain" 2023 Grand Cru Zind Humbrecht | Alsace

In the hierarchy ofAlsace's great dry wines, Domaine Zind Humbrecht 's Riesling Grand Cru Rangen de Thann Clos Saint Urbain stands out for its telluric power and mineral verticality. Hand-grown on the vertiginous slopes of the Grand Cru Rangen overlooking the commune of Thann in southern Alsace, the Clos Saint Urbain parcel, monopolized by Domaine Zind Humbrecht since 1977, rests on dark volcanic rock. Facing due south and rising to an altitude of almost 500 metres, this mythical Alsace terroir gives birth to a Riesling de garde with an inimitable personality. Cultivated biodynamically and vinified without the use of inputs, the wine is aged for a long time on its lees in old foudres to express the raw energy of the Rangen. In this vintage, ripening conditions enabled us to harvest perfectly balanced grapes, offering a taut, precise expression of the grape variety despite a very sunny year.

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin : The Riesling Grand Cru Rangen de Thann Clos Saint Urbain from Domaine Zind Humbrecht offers a deep, crystalline interpretation of this extreme volcanic terroir. Its mineral complexity, vibrant structure and saline finish make it an exceptional wine. As Olivier Humbrecht points out, Clos Saint Urbain always delivers an intense, smoky, taut style, capable of maturing admirably over ten to twenty years. The 2023 vintage confirms this lineage, with the dazzling energy that marks the great vintages of this unique place.

On the nose, the wine expresses a still restrained intensity of flint, warm earth and smoke, a clear signature of the volcanic terroir. Notes of bergamot and aromatic herbs follow with great intensity. The whole retains a surprising freshness, almost austere due to the wine's youth.

On the palate, the silky texture reveals a tracing acidity that propels the aromas of citrus fruit, gunflint and rubbed rock to a fullness typical of the volcanic terroir. The finish is taut, relentlessly upright and salivating. The lingering salinity thrills the taste buds and will deserve a few years of cellaring to reveal the full magnificence of the Clos Saint Urbain terroir in the expert hands of Domaine Zind Humbrecht.