Pinot Gris Rangen de Thann Clos-Saint-Urbain Grand Cru 2019 1500ml Magnum

A dry-vinified Pinot Gris from the Grand Cru Rangen de Thann, bottled in Magnum. Its 14.0% vol. carries a dense, mineral-driven stature. A wine that demands patience and rewards it in this large format.

The Rangen de Thann rises above the small town of Thann at a 68-degree slope and is Alsace's steepest vineyard site. Its 5.5 hectares consist of volcanic rock, and it is precisely from this that the smoky, saline minerality carrying this Grand Cru originates. In total, the domaine farms six Grand Cru sites across 11.5 hectares.

Pinot Gris, grown on a steep slope where horses once again work the vines. Olivier Humbrecht, the first Frenchman to hold the title of Master of Wine, converted the first five hectares to biodynamic farming in 1996 and now runs the estate across 42 hectares. Yields lie between 30 and 40 hectolitres per hectare, the wines remain on the lees for at least six months, and no wine leaves the cellar before one to two years of ageing.

Full and dry, with ripe mirabelle, quince and dried apricot, underscored by smoke, fine spice and a touch of honey. The acidity keeps the density on track, the finish stays saline and long.

The Humbrecht family has been growing wine since 1620; since 2019, Pierre Émile Humbrecht has joined the estate as the eleventh generation. Olivier Humbrecht calls biodynamics a therapy for the vines. The magnum format further slows the development of this vintage.