Pinot Gris Heimbourg 2023 - Zind-Humbrecht

Pinot Gris Heimbourg 2023 - Zind-Humbrecht

96/100 James Suckling

Off-the-scale salinity with great energy and drive, this is a very unusual Alsace pinot gris. Bone dry and very focused, but with richness on the middle of the medium- to full-bodied palate. Really needs some time. From biodynamically grown grapes.

Technical Specifications | Grape Variety: 100% Pinot Gris | Terroir: Heimbourg (Turckheim) — Oligocene limestone soils outcropping at the top of the slope; steep gradient with a south/south-west exposure. | Viticulture & Vine Age: Vines averaging 38 years old, planted on this magnificent 7.5-hectare hillside (4.5 hectares of which belong to the estate). Part of this hard-to-access terroir had previously been abandoned before being reclaimed and developed. | Yield: 52 hl/ha | Sweetness Index: Index 1 (Dry wine / 0.6 g/L residual sugar) | Analytical Data: Alcohol: 12.8% vol. | Total Acidity: 3.7 g/L (H₂SO₄, equivalent to 5.7 g/L tartaric acid) | pH: 3.20 | Winemaking: Vigorous fermentation for rapid conversion to a dry wine, followed by extended aging on total lees until bottling in January 2025. | Format & Peak Drinking: 75 cl bottle — Best enjoyed between 2026 and 2041, and beyond. | The Terroir: Between Sky and Vines | Located in Turckheim, the Heimbourg vineyard directly overlooks Clos Jebsal and faces the Grand Cru Brand. Benefiting from privileged late-season sunlight (August–September), this steep terroir—characterized by prominent Oligocene limestone—imparts a firm structure to the wines. A cousin of the Rotenberg that benefits from extra sunshine, it stands out for its particularly expressive aromatic intensity. The 2023 Vintage: A true "Pinot year," the 2023 vintage took full advantage of dry weather conditions to yield grapes of remarkable quality. This Pinot Gris perfectly balances the sun-kissed ripeness of the terroir with the freshness of a dry profile, refined by extended aging on the lees.

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

1: technically dry or dry tasting wine. 2: not technically dry, but the sugars are not obviously apparent 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, more important in the youth of the wine, which will gradually fade with age. 4: Sweet wine. 5: Sweet wine, very close to a Late Harvest

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