Pinot Gris Rangen de Thann Clos-Saint-Urbain Grand Cru 2008

A nobly sweet Pinot Gris at 12.5% vol., pitting the richness of noble rot against pronounced acidity. Power and spice take center stage, not sweetness alone.

The Grand Cru Rangen de Thann rises above the small town of Thann and, with a 68-degree incline, is Alsace's steepest vineyard site; the vines root in 5.5 hectares of volcanic rock. The Clos-Saint-Urbain extends in its lower section down to the river, and there the moisture brought on noble rot in 2008. The summer provided enough water, the vines suffered no water stress, and a very fine autumn preserved the grapes' acid structure.

Pure varietal Pinot Gris. Fermentation of the Rangen wines is usually rapid, but in 2008 it stretched over six months due to the pronounced noble rot. Olivier Humbrecht, the first Frenchman to hold the title of Master of Wine, farms 42 hectares biodynamically; the conversion began in 1996 with five hectares. Yields run at 30 to 40 hectoliters per hectare, and the wines rest on the lees for at least six months and then one to two years in the cellar before leaving the estate.

On the nose, pineapple, mango, orange, quince, baked apple and dried fig, along with cardamom, saffron and cinnamon. On the palate, smoky and earthy notes carry the opulent fruit, while the acidity vibrates and enlivens.

Non-force-fed duck liver, eel and fish, poultry with pome fruit and nuts or with cabbage vegetables, along with soft cheeses with washed rind.

The Humbrecht family has been growing wine since 1620; horses are once again at work on the steepest sites. Olivier Humbrecht calls biodynamics a "therapy to help the vines forget stress."