Technical presentation
| Bottling : | February 2018 |
|---|---|
| Acquired alcohol : | 15.1° |
| Residual sugar : | 2.0 g/l |
| Total acidity : | 4. g/l H2SO4 (6.4 g/l Acide Tartrique) |
| pH : | 3.50 |
| Yield : | 28 hl/ha |
| Optimum tasting : | 2021-2041+ |
| Average age of vines : | 37 years |
| Grape variety : | Gewurztraminer |
| Terroir : | Grand Cru Rangen de Thann Clos Saint Urbain |
| Sweetness index : | 1 |
| Soil : | South facing, Very steep slope, Volcanique ( tufs & |
Description of the wine Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Rangen from Thann Clos Saint-Urbain 2016
Gewurztraminer isn’t an obvious choice on the Grand Cru Rangen! The altitude and cold valley influence in late winter/early spring would delay budbreak and eventually the flowering can be problematic. This is the reason why our two little Gewurztraminer vineyards are located right above the river Thur that run below the Clos-Saint-Urbain. The volcanic sedimentary soils of this vineyard are really capable to transform this aromatic grape, both on the nose and the mouth structure. It is traditionally harvested late, with lots of noble rot influence, but that wasn’t the case in 2016. The fermentation was as slow as it can be (13 months) and the yeasts, to our great surprise, managed to produce a bone dry wine. Needless to say, most classic (sweet) Gewurztraminer lovers will be intrigued by this wine, but it will appeal everyone that think Gewurztraminer is wine often too easy…
Tasting notes
02/2018 : Intense bright yellow/gold colour. The nose combines delicate floral aromatics, dry discreet rose petals, with flinty, wet steel aromatics. It is a very complex and intriguing nose that could lead to think this wine is sweet. Well, as much as the palate boasts an immediate richness and coating effect, it turns very quickly into a brutal tight, sharp beast. The wine lasts a long time on the palate, with a strong salty finish, totally dry and showing a mindboggling acidity. This may be an UFO on planet Gewurztraminer, but definitely is a great Rangen.
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.