Zind 2022 Zind Humbrecht | Alsace

Domaine Zind-Humbrecht 's cuvée Zind has its source in the limestone heights of Clos Windsbuhl, in Hunawihr. In the 1980s, the wine estate replanted these plots, which had previously been made difficult by an unsuitable rootstock and a late exposure shaded by the Vosges forest. This Muschelkalk hillside, one ofAlsace 's most emblematic for its fine limestone soils and slow ripening, has given birth to a singular cuvée: a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Auxerrois, early-ripening grape varieties chosen to reveal the mineral tension of the site. Domaine Zind Humbrecht's biodynamic viticulture, combined with spontaneous fermentation and traditional ageing in foudres on lees, has sculpted a dry wine whose liveliness, precision and limestone elegance are essential hallmarks of the house.

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin : Zind du Domaine Zind-Humbrecht belongs to those cuvées that surprise by their ability to translate Clos Windsbuhl into an unexpected register. The combination of Chardonnay andAuxerrois brings out a very vertical reading of the terroir, with a freshness that expresses itself without detour and a minerality that provides a real backbone to the wine. The 2022 stands out for its ripe tension and harmonious texture, displaying an energy that reminds us how Hunawihr's late-ripening limestone terroir knows how to shape remarkably long-lasting dry wines. It's a profile that will gain in complexity with a few years' cellaring, while already offering a limpid reading of Windsbuhl.

The nose is initially discreet, in keeping with the natural reserve of young wines from this late hillside. Notes of citrus and aromatic herbs gradually emerge, accompanied by hazelnuts and roasted almonds inherited from ageing on lees. The presence of limestone is expressed by appetizing chalky and stony accents.

On the palate, the liveliness of the ripe acidity lengthens a still young body. The mineral column structures the wine in an expression full of elegance and fluidity, right up to the salivating finish where minerality and citrus brightness persist with a beautiful harmony that deserves a few more years in the cellar.