WTN: 2005 Dom. Zind Humbrecht Pinot Gris ‘Thann’

2005 Dom. Zind Humbrecht Pinot Gris “Thann’ – this is a very unusual wine. I am used to some ZH being over the top and this is definitely one of those. At this relatively young age the colour is apricot, as is the nose. The wine has excruciatingly high acidity – to the point that you sense it as a spritz on the tongue and the sides of your cheeks, but you look to see any physical gas bubbles, and there aren’t any. What saves this from being an exercise in patience like most Savenierres is the residual sugar, which is 42 g/l, enough to seem rich and slightly off dry, and enough to temper the acidity, which would otherwise be objectionable. The wine shows as bright (no surprise) and with a long apricotty finish that also has notes of orange rind. I liked it, after coming to terms with it, but am not confident enough to predict the future for this wine. I’ll append the winemaker’s notes – he may be right and this will drink until 2020 – I hope so.

Pinot-Gris Thann 2005
Bottling date: 2/2007; Alcohol: 12.5° alc; Residual sweetness: 42.7 g/l; Yields: 52.5 hl/ha; Optimum drinking period: 2008-2020+; Average age of the vines: 25 years; Surface: 0.6 ha; Terroir: Sedimentary volcanic rocks. South facing, very steep slope. Indice 3
My father Léonard acquired most of the Clos Saint Urbain vineyard from the Yung family in 1977. Other parcels were purchased or exchanged in the 1980s but most had to be planted. Usually, younger vines are declassified in our varietal Pinot Gris, but in 2005 we felt that those vines planted between 1978 and 1989 deserved to be bottled separately. It is still the same steep, volcanic, south facing vineyard, so it is totally normal to see the same vineyard characteristic and family resemblance to the Rangen wines. The grapes were harvested very ripe with a huge acidity and some noble rot. Surprisingly, it was the longest fermenting Pinot Gris in 2005 at the exception of some SGNs.
1/2007: This wine fermented such a long time that I honestly thought that it would actually be much drier. The acidity is so intense and crisp that it balances the RS, creating a harmonious and delicate palate. The flavours, both on the nose and palate, reveal the volcanic origin: there is lots of smoke, minerals and waxy aromas. Delicious today, it can gain more complexity with some age.

It is indeed a fascinating wine. Here are my notes of a few months ago -

Pinot Gris Thann - AOC Alsace – 2005 – Indice 2 – Domaine Zind Humbrecht - Alc. 13.5% - ( approx. € 20).

This wine is delicious. As it is not apparently a recognizable “cru”, I sought to find out some more about it and was surprised that I could not find a Zind Humbrecht website. Finally I found the following in the new Bettane/ Desseauve Grand Guide – “Blanc liquoreux derived from vines in the high part of Grand Cru Rangen (but this wine is not sold as such!) …….”. So we have some explanation for the quality which I describe now.

C: Quite deep yellow verging on gold with excellent clarity.
N: Not strongly developed but showing a very fine amalgam of white fruit with apricot hints, fine minerals, discreetly smoky spice and a distinct note of burnished sweetness.
P: The sweetness was confirmed (I even wondered whether there wasn’t a touch of botrytis) on a superbly linear and long palate with a gentle crescendo towards the finish. Flavours were rich and deep yet elegant smoothly integrating the aromas already noted from the nose and there was deliciously appealing acidity providing balance and an element of tension which removed any risk of cloying. Given the noticeable sweetness, the wine went surprisingly well with a simple preparation of scallops and “sandre” (translation, please?); 16.5+/20.

Thanks for also posting Olivier Humbrecht's notes on the wine. Did you notice whether your bottle was labelled "Indice 3" unlike mine? There are apparently different "indices" out there.

Thanks for also posting Olivier Humbrecht's notes on the wine. Did you notice whether your bottle was labelled "Indice 3" unlike mine? There are apparently different "indices" out there.

All of the bottles in the case I bought are Indice 3, but your experience certainly mirrors mine. I had it with a bit of pasta I whipped up with some peas, basil, cream, pepper and sauteed chanterelles and it worked well despite the RS (I had no idea what to expect before pulling the cork - no notes I could find until I happened on Olivier's after the fact).

Olivier's observation that there was some botrytis in the grapes makes sense.

I find this a very interesting wine because of the very high level of acidity yet beautifully offset by the sugar. What do you think the future will hold? I guess I am hoping that Olivier is correct (he ought to know) and it will have a long life, but I just don't know how to read tis one with such dark colour so young and uncharacteristically high acid levels. I'll probably trust in the maker and leave my next bottle for 3-4 years....

I find this a very interesting wine because of the very high level of acidity yet beautifully offset by the sugar. What do you think the future will hold?

With that acid/sugar balance, I guess that it will go on for years, even decades, revealing new complexities.