Technical presentation
| Bottling : | January 2023 |
|---|---|
| Acquired alcohol : | 13.9° |
| Residual sugar : | 4.2 g/l |
| Total acidity : | 4. g/l H2SO4 (6.4 g/l Acide Tartrique) |
| pH : | 3.3 |
| Yield : | 16 hl/ha |
| Optimum tasting : | 2027/2046+ |
| Average age of vines : | 51 years |
| Grape variety : | Gewurztraminer |
| Terroir : | Clos Windsbuhl |
| Sweetness index : | 1 |
| Soil : | Muschelkalk calcareous |
Description of the wine Gewurztraminer Clos Windsbuhl 2021
We purchased the Clos Windsbuhl in 1987. The vineyard is located on a beautiful hill orientated from the east to the south, on a Muschelkalk limestone geology. It is quite isolated, touching the majestic Vosges forest, and enjoys a cool late ripening climate. Back in 1987 we doubted that this grape variety would be suited to this vineyard as Gewurztraminer really needs sunshine and more heat to ripen. How wrong were we and luckily we kept the old vines and gave them a chance! Every vintage, this Clos produces amazing wines, and that include this extraordinary and refined Gewurztraminer ! This grape however suffered serious losses in spring 2021 and the crop is tiny.
Tasting notes
01/2023 : Intense yellow colour. The Clos Windsbuhl is already very open on the nose, displaying a beautiful array of aromatic flowers and fruits: peach, pears, ancient roses, a touch of spice and discreet exotic character. The palate replicates the complexity of the nose, but comes as a big surprise as it reveals a tight and firm structure, enhanced by a great ripe acidity. The finish is dry and long, but also so elegant! This is a very bright and lively wine. The rich mineral content (Muschelkalk is rich in magnesium) brings a noble bitter mouthfeel. Achieving dry Gewurztraminer at this level isn’t easy and we do hope to be able to replicate this in the future !
The Clos Windsbuhl of Hunawihr
The altitude of the vineyard coupled with Hunawihr’s tardy climate means that the Clos Windsbuhl is often one of the last of our vineyards to be harvested. This explains the aromatic quality of the Clos’ wines and the consistent balance of acidity, a guarantee of good ageing. Although often harvested late, the Windsbuhl grapes are only rarely botryitized, doubtless due to the altitude of the vineyard, but nevertheless often reach high levels of maturity.