Riesling Roche Calcaire Zind Humbrecht 2020

Riesling Roche Calcaire Zind Humbrecht 2020

Bottling: 1/2022
Alcohol acquired: 13.2 °
Residual sugar: 1.6 g / l
Total acidity: 4.4 g / l H2SO4 (6.5 g / l tartaric acid)
pH: 3
Yield: 48 hl / ha
Optimal tasting: 2025-2038
Average age of the vines: 46 years
Terroir: Argilloso-Calcaro-Siliceo, facing east and south.
Index: 1
Description:
This wine is produced each year from a blend of several plots located in the town of Gueberschwihr, south of Colmar, all planted in the 1960s and 1970s. Their common point is a moderately late terroir on limestone-sandstone marls, with a slight slope facing east or south. These vines are of exemplary regularity and have the immense advantage of not suffering from climatic excesses, especially lack of water or excessive heat. The 2020 vintage is in fact a vintage that is perfectly suited to this type of terroir. The harvest was early and very healthy, the fermentation was slow like all the 2020 Rieslings and managed to conclude with a very dry vinous balance. Aging in large old barrels on the fine lees until bottling.

Tasting Comments:
1/2022: Straw yellow color. The nose is still discreet and opens gently towards aromas of citrus, lemon. Decanting well before serving is a must if this wine is open in its youth. On the palate we find the palpable tension on the nose, with a broad, savory attack, marked by a very fine acidity that is very present. This wine displays superb maturity while remaining precise. The finish is marked by a beautiful mature tension that affirms the seriousness of the wine on a texture of a great dry wine.

The passion for a profession is handed down from generation to generation and, among the Hombrechts, this beautiful story begins in the 17th century. Today the estate consists of about forty hectares of vineyards, spread over very different soils. In fact, there are about ten terroirs in total, which serve as the geological cradle of the greatest Alsatian grape varieties.

ZIND-HUMBRECHT

The Humbrecht family is one of the oldest Alsatian producers. It has been dedicated to the cultivation of vines for twelve generations, but it was only in 1959 that the Domaine Zind-Humbrecht was born, when the parents of Olivier Humbrecht, the current owner, got married and united the two family businesses. In the decade between 1977 and 1987, several valuable vineyards were purchased that enrich the company assets: Clos Saint Urban, Brand, Heimbourg, Clos Jebsal and Clos Windsbhul.
Zind-Humbrecht is the first company in Alsace that, since 1981, uses the control of fermentation temperatures in traditional oak barrels and that imports, first in 1983 and then in 1989 the Bucher pneumatic Grand Cru press which allows long pressing, extracting only the noble part of the grape. In 1993, he decided to definitively abandon the sugaring of musts, which was rarely used even previously. In 1998 the third Bucher press was purchased, taking the pressing time beyond twelve hours. Léonard Humbrecht, the first to believe in great terroirs (Brand, Heimbourg and Rangen), is succeeded by his son Olivier who continues to make the Domaine Zind-Humbrecht a point of reference for Alsace. Agronomist, oenologist and in possession of the coveted Master of Wine title, Olivier has totally converted all production into biodynamic cultivation, Ecocert certified in 2000. The company pays close attention to everything that can affect the delicate balance of terroirs and vines planted there. Maximum importance is also given to the ideal combination of soil structure and the optimal grape variety to be planted. The 40 hectares owned by the Domaine have a maximum production of 180,000 bottles and are spread over land of absolute value: Grand Cru Rangen de Thann, Grand Cru Brand, Grand Cru Hengst and Grand Cru Goldert, in addition to Clos Windsbhul, Jebsal and Hauserer.
The Domaine enjoys an excellent reputation, absolutely deserved if you think on the one hand of the very low yields it practices (only 35 hectoliters per hectare against the 75 authorized by the AOC Alsace Grand Cru) and on the other hand the difficulty of working the vines that come, for choice, grown manually and with the help of horses, to better respect the land. Zind-Humbrecht is currently recognized as one of the largest white wine producers in the world.