Technical presentation
| Bottling : | February 2007 |
|---|---|
| Acquired alcohol : | 12.5 ° |
| Residual sugar : | 42.7 g/l |
| Total acidity : | 5.7 g/l H2SO4 |
| pH : | 3.4 |
| Yield : | 52.5 hl/ha |
| Average age of vines : | 25 years |
| Grape variety : | Pinot Gris |
| Terroir : | Grand Cru Rangen de Thann Clos Saint Urbain |
| Sweetness index : | 3 |
| Soil : | Sedimentary volcanic rocks (Tuffs & Grauwake), South facing, Very steep slope |
Description of the wine Pinot Gris Thann 2005
My father Léonard acquired most of the Clos Saint Urbain vineyard from the Yung family in 1977. Other parcels were purchased or exchanged in the 1980s but most had to be planted. Usually, younger vines are declassified in our varietal Pinot Gris, but in 2005 we felt that those vines planted between 1978 and 1989 deserved to be bottled separately. It is still the same steep, volcanic, south facing vineyard, so it is totally normal to see the same vineyard characteristic and family resemblance to the Rangen wines. The grapes were harvested very ripe with a huge acidity and some noble rot. Surprisingly, it was the longest fermenting Pinot Gris in 2005 at the exception of some SGNs.
Tasting notes
01/2007 : This wine fermented such a long time that I honestly thought that it would actually be much drier. The acidity is so intense and crisp that it balances the RS, creating a harmonious and delicate palate. The flavours, both on the nose and palate, reveal the volcanic origin: there is lots of smoke, minerals and waxy aromas. Delicious today, it can gain more complexity with some age.
The Clos Saint Urbain, Grand Cru Rangen from Thann
The Rangen de Thann is the most southerly of the Alsace vineyards. In his book « Where Alsace wines ripen », Henry Riegert writes: « from the Middle Ages those wines which ripen on the Rangen hillside figure amongst the most famous growths of the whole vineyard region ». The Grand Cru Rangen de Thann, is situated at the exit of the valley, overlooking the village of Thann with the river Thur passing at the foot of the slope.