Technical presentation
| Bottling : | Août 2024 |
|---|---|
| Acquired alcohol : | 13.7° |
| Residual sugar : | 10.7° |
| Total acidity : | 3.1 g/l H2SO4 / (4.7g/l Tartrique) |
| pH : | 3.3 |
| Yield : | 41 hl/ha |
| Optimum tasting : | 2028-2043+ |
| Average age of vines : | 53 years |
| Grape variety : | Gewurztraminer |
| Terroir : | Clos Windsbuhl |
| Sweetness index : | 2 |
| Soil : | Calcaire Oligocène, Medium slope, Muschelkalk calcareous, Oolithic calcareous |
Description of the wine Gewurztraminer Clos Windsbuhl 2023
Clos Windsbuhl is located at a higher elevation above the village of Hunawihr on a Triassic limestone substrate. The nearby forest also influences the climate and accentuates the late ripening character of this vineyard. Gewurztraminer has been present on this Clos for a long time, as evidenced by a magnificent 1948 tasted recently which still showed great vigour and an extraordinary structure. This slow ripening allows for good phenolic maturity and therefore contributes to perfect the quality of its tannins, high for this grape variety and essential for good ageing. We find this characteristic obvious in the 2023 vintage. The Triassic limestone soil, rich in magnesium, also gives a particular texture to the Windsbuhl wines by bringing a noble bitterness. Such tannic intensity is more present on the palate when the residual sugars are low, which is the case for the 2023 vintage as the fermentation stopped at a low sweetness level.
Tasting notes
08/2024: intense pale-yellow colour. The nose immediately translates a very palpable limestone tension. Still in its reserve, it opens with aeration to reveal smoky, peppery, oregano, bacon aromas, ... far from the floral profile of certain vintages. The palate is ample, with a racy structure, masking the sweetness that is discreet in this wine, barely palatable. It is a wine whose aromatic is mainly linked to the limestone of the Windsbuhl terroir. The finish is long, saline, harmonious. One could believe that this wine is completely dry thanks to the structuring effect of the noble tannins. This wine is easy to taste on its own but is also a magnificent wine to serve with dishes where we find a smoky, grilled or slightly spicy profile.
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.