Zind-Humbrecht Riesling 2015
-
Suckling
James -
Enthusiast
Wine - Decanter
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
A solid riesling with sliced-apple and lime aromas and flavors. Cement and stone undertones. Pretty, phenolic texture. Medium to full body, a bone-dry palate and a gorgeous finish. Rich and flavorful yet only 11.5% alcohol. Don't miss this. Biodynamically grown grapes all from around the winery in Turckheim.
-
Wine Enthusiast
Grapefruit and quince make for an exciting opening amidst some yeasty notes. On the palate, aromatic quince and plum notes reflect the generosity of the vintage while remaining dry and light-bodied. There is an ease here, of drinking and thinking, of sipping and being refreshed. This goes down far too easily on deceptively light feet. The finish is of refreshing lemon zest.
-
Decanter
A limey nose introduces a really juicy lemon and tangerine palate, with a hint of zest and pith on the mid-palate. Incredibly pure fruit expression with a good length, this is a great introduction to Alsatian Riesling.
Other Vintages
2016-
Enthusiast
Wine -
Suckling
James -
Spectator
Wine
-
Wong
Wilfred -
Spectator
Wine
-
Spectator
Wine
-
Spectator
Wine
-
Spectator
Wine
-
Spectator
Wine
-
Spectator
Wine
Certified Organic and Biodynamic.
Riesling possesses a remarkable ability to reflect the character of wherever it is grown while still maintaining its identity. A regal variety of incredible purity and precision, this versatile grape can be just as enjoyable dry or sweet, young or old, still or sparkling and can age longer than nearly any other white variety. Somm Secret—Given how difficult it is to discern the level of sweetness in a Riesling from the label, here are some clues to find the dry ones. First, look for the world “trocken.” (“Halbtrocken” or “feinherb” mean off-dry.) Also a higher abv usually indicates a drier Riesling.
With its fairytale aesthetic, Germanic influence and strong emphasis on white wines, Alsace is one of France’s most unique viticultural regions. This hotly contested stretch of land running north to south on France’s northeastern border has spent much of its existence as German territory. Nestled in the rain shadow of the Vosges mountains, it is one of the driest regions of France but enjoys a long and cool growing season. Autumn humidity facilitates the development of “noble rot” for the production of late-picked sweet wines, Vendange Tardive and Sélection de Grains Nobles.
The best wines of Alsace can be described as aromatic and honeyed, even when completely dry. The region’s “noble” varieties, the only ones permitted within Alsace’s 51 Grands Crus vineyards, are Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Muscat, and Pinot Gris.
Riesling is Alsace’s main specialty. In its youth, Alsace Riesling is dry, fresh and floral, but develops complex mineral and flint character with age. Gewurztraminer is known for its signature spice and lychee aromatics, and is often utilized for late harvest wines. Pinot Gris is prized for its combination of crisp acidity and savory spice as well as ripe stone fruit flavors. Muscat, vinified dry, tastes of ripe green grapes and fresh rose petal.
Other varieties grown here include Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Chasselas, Sylvaner and Pinot Noir—the only red grape permitted in Alsace and mainly used for sparkling rosé known as Crémant d’Alsace. Most Alsace wines are single-varietal bottlings and unlike other French regions, are also labeled with the variety name.