Wine Advisor
Zind Humbrecht, Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Hengst 2012
Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Stephan Reinhardt
Golden-yellow colored, the 2012 Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Hengst (from vines planted on the south, south-east-facing mid-slope in the 1930s and 1957) is a dense, super clear and very aromatic wine on the nose displaying deep and spicy mineral notes of oranges, lemons and spicy flavors. Very rich and oily textured, this is an intense and powerful yet highly elegant and nobly textured wine with a big structure, persistent tension and salinity -- a great Hengst with almost 15% alcohol (which is not necessarily a bad thing with Gewürztraminer) and 41 grams of unfermented sweetness. The piquant freshness and brilliance of this wine is remarkable, and so is the firm and tension-filled finish that indicates a great aging potential. Don't decant it, but wait for three or five or 25 years.
About the Producer
Founded in 1959, Domaine Zind-Humbrecht is one of the most prestigious wineries in Alsace. The Humbrecht family has been growing grapes in the region since 1620. Since the 1980s, the estate has been run by their son, Olivier Humbrecht. Olivier is a world-renowned winemaker and the first Frenchman to be awarded the title of "Master of Wine". In France, it is common that the vineyards owned by Château Humbrecht are not located in the same place. The vineyards of Château Humbrechts are located in 5 different villages and cover a total area of 40 hectares. A wide range of grape varieties are planted, mainly Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris. The average age of the vines is 30 years, with some vines as old as 70 years. The winery produces 13,000 to 16,000 cases of wine per year, with yields of 3,000 to 4,000 liters per hectare. Old vines, the best vineyards, low yields, late harvesting, a biologically based growing system and vinification in old, temperature-controlled vats are the hallmarks of the winery's wines. The harvest at Château Humbrechts generally lasts more than 3 months, as the grapes are picked only when a parcel of vineyards has reached their approved full ripeness. The grapes are pressed in whole bunches and they tend to use heavy vats with large capacity. All materials are moved by gravity and aged with premium vats, with little to no use of sulfur dioxide. The fermentation process is completely natural - indigenous yeasts are used, no enzymes and such additives as oxygen, nitrogen, clarifiers, vitamins, etc. are added. The fermentation process at Château Humbrechts is very slow, ranging from 3 months to 1 year, even longer for very sweet wines, and 12 to 18 months for the drier ones. Generally speaking, Château Humbrechts produces mostly sweet wines (depending on the vintage), but in years when natural conditions allow, it also produces less sweet wines with an alcohol content of 15% to 16%. The wines of Château Humbrechts, however, are made with the utmost care and reflect the best local winemaking techniques.