Gewürztraminer Clos Windsbuhl 2022

A sweet Alsatian wine whose spice is carried by coolness. The aromas surge from the glass, while the mid-palate stays saline and invigorating. From a site that favours finesse over sheer power.

Clos Windsbuhl is the Domaine's monopole vineyard, lying above Hunawihr at 300 to 350 metres, with a view of the Saint-Jacques le Majeur church. The steep, east-to-south-facing slope ripens late, as the altitude and the nearby Vosges forest keep it cool. Beneath a thin topsoil lies magnesium-rich Triassic shell limestone, which keeps the vines from growing too vigorously. In 2022, this coolness offset the vintage's warmth, and the grapes arrived at the cellar in excellent health.

Pure varietal Gewürztraminer, farmed biodynamically. Olivier Humbrecht converted the first five hectares in 1996 and calls biodynamics a "therapy that helps the vines forget stress." Yields of 30 to 40 hectolitres per hectare, at least six months on the lees, and one to two years of cellar ageing before release shape the texture. 13.0% vol.

Cool and invigorating on entry, the delicate sweetness meets a pleasantly tart note of orange zest and grapefruit. The mid-palate is saline and mineral, and the finish lingers long. On the nose, orange granita, salted lemon, candied ginger, along with rosemary, verbena, cinnamon and dried rose petals.

Chicory and spiced carrot in yuzu kimchi broth with nashi pear and sesame crunch, rainbow trout with dried elderflowers and lemon balm pearls, langoustine tempura with tom yum broth and miso aubergine. It carries saline, sweet and aromatic dishes alike.

The wine is approachable now yet has real ageing potential: decant a day in advance, serve not too cold in large Burgundy glasses. Olivier Humbrecht is the first Frenchman to become a Master of Wine, and his family has been growing wine since 1620.