Pinot Gris Roche Calcaire 2019

Radiant golden yellow with delicate green highlights in the glass. The wine stops just short of dryness, yet the pronounced acidity of the limestone soils keeps the residual sugar in check. Delicately built, full of tension, and designed as a food-friendly wine.

At Domaine Zind-Humbrecht in Turckheim, all the Pinot Gris vineyards on limestone geology actually hold single-vineyard status: Clos Windsbuhl, Clos Jebsal, Heimbourg and Rotenberg. In most vintages, the Roche Calcaire comes from the young Pinot Gris vines planted in the early 1990s in Clos Windsbuhl. In 2019, fruit from Clos Jebsal, Clos Windsbuhl and Heimbourg was added to the production. Olivier Humbrecht, the first Frenchman to hold the Master of Wine title, farms 42 hectares biodynamically.

Pure Pinot Gris. The parcels were fermented separately and only blended afterwards to preserve a cohesive style. Six additional months on full lees gave the wine character and complexity. 13.0% vol., off-dry.

Delicate and fragrant on the nose, with prominent chalky notes; after decanting, peach, nectarine and quince emerge, alongside blossom, anise and ginger, plus a scent of seashells. Creamy and elegant on the palate, with a saline trace and elegant acidity. The finish reveals flashes of citrus and fresh ginger.

Dishes with fresh, citrusy accents suit it well: scallops with a honey-grapefruit marinade, lemon balm and potato cream, corn-fed chicken breast in a kumquat crust on pak choi, or pumpkin gnocchi with thyme.

Decant if possible and serve in large glasses. The wine offers very good ageing potential for the coming years. The Humbrecht family has been growing wine since 1620; in 1996 the conversion of the first five hectares to biodynamic farming began.