Gewurztraminer Clos Windsbuhl 2023 - Zind-Humbrecht

Gewurztraminer Clos Windsbuhl 2023 - Zind-Humbrecht

Directly from the wine estate

95/100 James Suckling

"Exceptionally fresh for a Gewürztraminer, with a touch of sweetness, this wine is simply charming. Its underlying richness, beautifully ample on the palate, gives it a remarkable texture. Very long and elegant finish. Made from biodynamically grown grapes. Drink now or cellar." Stuart Pigott

The sweetness index is 2: not technically dry, but the sugars are not overtly apparent on the palate. Some tasters may detect a slight roundness on the finish. These wines will taste dry with some bottle aging.

Technical presentation

• Bottling: August 2024

• Acquired alcohol: 13.7%

• Residual sugar: 10.7 g/l

• Total acidity: 3.1 g/l H₂SO₄ (4.7 g/l tartaric)

• pH: 3.3

• Yield: 41 hl/ha

• Optimum tasting window: 2028–2043+

• Average vine age: 53 years

• Grape variety: Gewurztraminer

• Terroir: Clos Windsbuhl

• Sweetness index: 2

• Soils: Oligocene limestone, medium slope, Muschelkalk limestone, oolithic limestone

Description of Gewurztraminer Clos Windsbuhl 2023

The Clos Windsbuhl sits at higher altitude above the village of Hunawihr, on a Triassic limestone base. Its proximity to the forest moderates the climate and reinforces the vineyard’s naturally late-ripening profile. Gewurztraminer has long been established here—an exceptional 1948 tasted recently still displayed remarkable energy and an outstanding structure.

This slow ripening fosters excellent phenolic maturity, enhancing the quality of the tannins—naturally elevated for this varietal in Windsbuhl, and crucial for long ageing. This hallmark characteristic is especially evident in the 2023 vintage. The Triassic limestone, rich in magnesium, imparts a distinctive texture to the wines, contributing a refined, noble bitterness.

The firm tannic structure is even more apparent when residual sugar levels are low—a feature of the 2023 vintage, where fermentation ended with only a modest amount of sweetness.

Indice: Sweetness level on the palate. Scale from 1 to 5.

1: analytically dry or tasting dry. 2: not analytically dry, but sugars are not noticeable on the palate. Some tasters may find a slight roundness in the finish. These wines will taste dry with some bottle ageing. 3: medium sweetness, higher in the youth of the wine, which will gradually fade with age. 4: Sweet wine. 5: Sweet wine, very close to a Vendange Tardive.

New in 2023*: The domain has chosen to change the packaging. The capsules are no longer present on the bottles. The domain wishes to be more respectful of the environment and has therefore stopped the production of metal seals. This does not change the potential of the wine and the tasting.

     > All our wines from Domaine Zind Humbrecht in stock

Caution: The bottles of Alsace wine do not fit into the wooden boxes sold separately.