Zind-Humbrecht - Riesling Alsace Grand Cru Rangen de Thann Clos St.-Urbain 2005 (375ml)

The Domaine Zind-Humbrecht was created in 1959 by the merging of two families, that on Zenon Humbrecht, viticulteur in Gueberschwihr, and that of Emile Zind, viticulteur in Wintzenheim, with the marriage of their children, Leonard Humbrecht and Ginette Zind. Before this date both families produced and sold their wines separately. Domaine Humbrecht had been passed from father to son since the Thirty Years War (1620). The vinification is now in the hands of Oliver Humbrecht, son of Ginette and Leonard. In 1995, Robert Parker called Oliver's 1993's "The wine of a genius". Certified Organic and Biodynamic.

Dry and intense. There's an impression of higher acidity to this, marshaling the pure grapefruit, peach, spice and mineral notes to a long conclusion, with a dry, mineral salt aftertaste. Best from 2008 through 2020.

The 2005 Riesling Rangen Clos Saint Urban – as seems in recent years to be the grapes’ wont in this site – fermented completely dry, yet there is but a modest 13.3% alcohol. Peach, wood smoke and intriguingly musky, meaty notes on the nose are followed by a dry but juicy rather than austere palate, with faintly bitter citrus rind, wood smoke, salt, and iodine character leading to decidedly pungent, penetrating, clear, slightly tart, and invigorating finish. This is an athletically spare Riesling with a striking balance, best not revisited for several years and likely to justify more than a decade in bottle. (DS)