Gewurztraminer Roche Calcaire 2022 - Zind-Humbrecht

Gewurztraminer Roche Calcaire 2022 - Zind-Humbrecht

Wine from the estate

93/100 James Suckling

A juicy and very fresh Gewurztraminer, rich in notes of starfruit and licorice. A welcome touch of bitterness enhances a medium-bodied palate that is otherwise very silky. Beautiful balance, despite the grape's slight natural sweetness. Sourced primarily from young vines in the Grand Cru Hengst and Clos Windsbuhl terroirs, and harvested late in the 2022 season.

Gewurztraminer Roche Calcaire 2022

Technical Overview

Grape variety: 100% Gewurztraminer

Average vine age: 40 years

Terroir: Oolitic limestone and siliceous marl

Bottling: August 2023

Alcohol content: 13.1%

Residual sugar: 28.7 g/l (Sweetness index: 3 – Medium-sweet/Moelleux)

Total acidity: 2.9 g/l H₂SO₄ (equivalent to 4.4 g/l tartaric acid) | pH: 3.5

Yield: 47 hl/ha

About the wine

Gewurztraminer is distinguished by a naturally tannic profile and lower acidity, requiring excellent phenolic ripeness to ensure aging potential—making it traditionally the last grape variety harvested in Alsace. Here, the limestone soils offer a dual advantage: they slightly delay ripening, structure the wine, and temper its aromatic exuberance in favor of more complex spicy and mineral notes, all while keeping alcohol levels in check.

This cuvée also incorporates grapes from a rigorous selection of young vines or specific plots within the great terroirs of Hengst and Windsbuhl. This meticulous selection of perfectly ripe berries naturally imparts the characteristic touch of residual sweetness found in this Gewurztraminer Roche Calcaire.

Tasting notes (January 2024)

Appearance: Pale yellow-gold.

Nose: Highly expressive, opening with intense notes of exotic fruits (lychee, mango, passion fruit, and grapefruit). Far removed from typical varietal clichés, it reveals great elegance and breed, deeply marked by the character of the Hengst and Windsbuhl terroirs.

On the palate: Fresh, taut, and vibrant, it offers a lovely touch of sweetness on the finish, perfectly balanced by ripe tannins. A classic, slightly off-dry Gewurztraminer that remains true to its origins; it can be enjoyed now but will gain complexity and spicy notes with age.

The sedimentary limestone geology, mainly located in the foothills of the Vosges mountains in Alsace, has always been the first choice for producing long-keeping and structured Gewurztraminer. The presence of clay, more or less important, brings an element of freshness to the soils, slowing down the ripening process and preserving a better acidity. The presence of limestone influences the aromatic profile and texture of the wine. Wines become spicier, less floral, with a recognisably tighter tannic structure so crucial to the wine's balance. Gewurztraminer, more than any other wine in Alsace, requires full physiological maturity.  

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Index: Level of sweetness on the palate. Scale from 1 to 5.

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

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