Zind-Humbrecht Terroir d'Alsace Riesling 2013
-
Wine
Enthusiast -
Wine
Spectator -
Wine &
Spirits
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
Flinty overtones of yeast reveal how very young this wine is. The verve that springs from the glass is undeniable. While the focus is on grapefruit and lemon zest in a tightly pulled focus, there are glimpses of honeycomb, popcorn, treacle, pollen and hints of tropicality, with a touch of pineapple. Hold this wine for a while longer and it will unfold itself graciously. Drink 2016–2020.
-
Wine Spectator
Dry and focused, with a compact range of glazed apricot, lemon curd, melon and grapefruit granita flavors, accented by a pronounced streak of rich minerality, which echoes on the firm finish. Drink now through 2023.
-
Wine & Spirits
A broad Riesling with bright scents of lemon zest, this is toasty and warm, its leesiness bringing out notes of cream and bitter lemon pith. It ends with the richness of lemon curd, aplifying the flavors in a long, smoky finish.
Other Vintages
2010-
Wine
Spectator
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.