Technical presentation
| Bottling : | January 2025 |
|---|---|
| Acquired alcohol : | 12.8° |
| Residual sugar : | 1.3 g/l |
| Total acidity : | 3.6 g/l H2SO4 (5.6 g/l Tartrique) |
| pH : | 3.3 |
| Yield : | 25 hl/ha |
| Optimum tasting : | 2026-2047+ |
| Average age of vines : | 61 years |
| Grape variety : | Riesling |
| Terroir : | Grand Cru Rangen de Thann Clos Saint Urbain |
| Sweetness index : | 1 |
| Soil : | Sedimentary volcanic rocks (Tuffs & Grauwake) |
Description of the wine Riesling Grand Cru Rangen Thann Clos Saint Urbain 2023
The topography of this Grand Cru is impressive. It is a terroir where the vineyard work is hard and painful, and we can really speak of heroic viticulture. But in addition to its 90% average slope facing due south, this terroir stands apart because of its soil composed of a volcanic-sedimentary rock which strongly marks the wines. Volcanic terroirs are rare and this one is particularly rare, unique in fact on the Grand Crus in Alsace. The Rangen produces powerful, intense wines, marked by the influence of a late climate (altitude, cold valley) on a very solar geology and situation. The sedimentary volcanic rock is hard, breaks into angular stones, to end up producing fine elements (clay) which will migrate deep into the geological faults. This mineral richness influences the wines of the Rangen with flinty aromas and a saline mouthfeel. The 2023 vintage was picked late on the Rangen, despite a sunny September. The wine has taken almost a year to finish the fermentation. The 16-month ageing on total lees in old oak cask will have been necessary to refine this wine.
Tasting notes
01/2025: light golden yellow colour. Like previous vintages, the Rangen is characterized by a deeper colour compared to other terroirs. The nose is intense and amplifies with aeration. At the beginning we find the strong influence of the volcano, with a slight typical reduction. The nose then evolves towards a stony, smoky bouquet, with floral traces, aromatic plants ... The mouth is enveloping, coats the palate and reveals a silky texture and a long saline finish. This wine is mainly built on a saline mineral texture that deserves some aging to fully reveal itself.
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.