Technical presentation
| Bottling : | September 2006 |
|---|---|
| Acquired alcohol : | 15.3° |
| Residual sugar : | 27.6 g/l |
| Total acidity : | 4.1 g/l H2SO4 / (6.3 g/l Tartrique) |
| pH : | 3.8 |
| Yield : | 26 hl/ha |
| Average age of vines : | 36 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 Grand Cru Rangen from Thann Clos Saint Urbain 2005
Rangen is by far our most difficult vineyard to work. Even Nikita (our horse) refuses to climb it and wants to go down the slope, obliging us to use a winch and pull up the ploughs when we cultivate the soil. Grass is not always an option, as the Rangen is made of a very poor volcanic sedimentary soil – big, broken chunks of dark heavy angular rocks – that can be very dry in summer, not allowing any competition to the vines. What is exceptional here is that this rock does break down eventually and manages to produce some very small amount of high minerals content clay that gets trapped in the deeper cracks of the soil. Of course, the roots of the vines can only get there after many years of struggles, but once there; they are growing very well and become stress resistant. The 2005 shows some botrytis, but significantly less than the vineyards located around Turckheim. The fermentation was fast and powerful.
Tasting notes
01/2007 : There is no other vineyard amongst our portfolio that is capable of leaving such an imprint on the wine. The nose shows the classic flinty/smoky aromas of the volcanic soil, mixed with white fruits and humus. It is actually less aggressive than usual and possesses this harmony and delicacy so typical of 2005. The palate is long, powerful, hiding the sweetness very well.
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.