Riesling Rangen de Thann Clos-Saint-Urbain Grand Cru 2015
The Riesling Rangen de Thann Clos-Saint-Urbain Grand Cru 2015 from Domaine Zind-Humbrecht grows on volcanic rock in Alsace's steepest vineyard site, a dry Riesling made for air and time.
CHF 105.00
Prices in CHF, including customs duty and all import charges, plus shipping CHF 15 (free from 12 bottles or CHF 300) — no further charges on delivery.
Available for Switzerland
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About this wine
Character
A dry Riesling of high inner tension. The nose is dense and spicy: fully ripe peaches, mango and candied orange peel, joined by the tart notes of kumquats and bitter oranges, overlaid with myrrh and frankincense, underscored by wet pebbles and a slight salinity. Multi-layered and still very young.
Terroir and origin
The Grand Cru Rangen de Thann rises above the town of Thann and, with a 68-degree gradient, is Alsace's steepest vineyard site. The Clos-Saint-Urbain spans 5.5 hectares of volcanic rock. On the steepest slopes, horses have returned to work the vines.
Grape variety and vinification
Pure varietal Riesling. Olivier Humbrecht, the first Frenchman to hold the title of Master of Wine, farms 42 hectares biodynamically; he converted the first five hectares back in 1996. Yields run between 30 and 40 hectolitres per hectare, the wines rest on the lees for at least six months, and none leaves the cellar before one to two years of ageing.
On the palate
The entry coats the mouth with fine-grained, ripe tannin, the fruit stays minimalist, almost austere. Beneath it, a wide-spanning acidity works over dense minerality. The mouthfeel is full and generous, and despite the warm vintage the wine stays lean at 13.0% ABV.
Food pairing suggestions
Smoked tofu with sesame, wakame seaweed and yuzu ponzu picks up the salty-spicy side, pikeperch fillet on creamy leeks with mandarin oil and sesame the citrus side, glazed veal sweetbreads on rutabaga-vanilla purée the structure.
Special notes
Olivier Humbrecht calls biodynamics a "therapy that helps the vines forget stress." The Humbrechts have been winegrowers since 1620, and since 2019 Pierre Émile Humbrecht has joined as the eleventh generation.
