2007 Gewurztraminer, Clos Saint Urbain, Rangen de Thann, Grand Cru, Domaine Zind-Humbrecht, Alsace

To my knowledge, the Humbrechts 2007 Gewurztraminer Rangen Clos Saint Urbain sets a new record for the estate at 16.4% alcohol, in effect following the trajectory of recent vintages in Rangen, though 22 grams of residual sugar in this instance may simply indicate that it will be up to the yeasts to say when. The acidity here is high for the variety, as has been noted in numerous wines of the vintage, especially those accentuated by noble rot. Lavender, rose petal, celery root, and whiffs of wood smoke on the nose are attractive and entirely predictable, if backed by a faintly spirituous sense of nose-tweaking intensity. In the mouth, though, this catches fire and not in a good way sweeping across the palate, and leaving behind charred, smoked meat, and high-toned notes of banana oil, citrus oil, and distilled pit fruits, and peat. The old drink-it-before-it-drinks-you line is insufficient to express the relentless, virtually incendiary ferocity, eye watering smokiness and searing brightness on display here. Ok, its done drunk me now what? Id be lying if I said I dont want to see what becomes of it after a few years in bottle.
David Schildknecht - 27/04/2010 Read more

Quite deep gold. Not especially expressive on the nose with marked residual sugar. This is one of those wines that need careful food matching, such as Munster or Vacherin cheese? Very hot finish. And slightly loose. I could imagine this grapefruit flavoured wine turning a little oily with age. Read more