Pinot Gris Clos Windsbuhl 2020

A Pinot Gris of power and tension: rich, underpinned by salinity, fully dry and carried by an acidity that gives it structure and longevity. A wine made for the table.

Clos Windsbuhl is a monopole of Domaine Zind-Humbrecht. Its elevation and proximity to the Vosges delay ripening, which is why Pinot Gris has always been favoured here and remains the most widely planted variety in the Clos to this day. With climate change, harvest now tends to fall in early to mid-September rather than mid-October, and botrytis occurs less frequently, which benefits the production of dry wines.

Pinot Gris ripens slowly on the Windsbuhl while retaining remarkable acidity. Choosing the right harvest date requires daily ripeness checks. In 2020, exceptionally healthy grapes arrived at the winery; fermentation proceeded very slowly and carried the wine through to completion. It was bottled after 17 months' ageing in old oak casks on total lees. 13.5% vol.

On the nose, dried apricots, honey, candied apple and lime, along with malty notes, toasted sesame, orange and thyme, plus an iodine-like trace of oyster shells. On the palate, sweetness and acidity are in balance, juicy and rich, with pronounced salinity and invigorating freshness. The finish seems endless.

Poultry with toasted sesame and honey, pork fillet with roasted carrots and pineapple, or tofu with fir honey and wild herb salad.

Great ageing potential. Those opening the bottle now are best off decanting it a day in advance and serving it not too cold in large Burgundy glasses. Olivier Humbrecht, the first Frenchman to hold the Master of Wine title, runs the domaine biodynamically.