Winemaker Notes
The nose is unmistakable Rangen, showing intense flinty, aromatic herbal aromas. The palate is rich and
powerful with good balance.
Savor this Riesling as an aperitif or with simple dishes that showcase the wine.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
"The increased risk of spring frost is probably the most harmful consequence of global warming in viticulture," Olivier Humbrecht summarized, recapping the 2017 vintage that was hardly hit by frost in the night of April 21 to 22. "A vine strongly affected by frost also takes a long time to recover from the shock," he added, pointing out that "the growth of latent buds only occurred in May, leaving the vines with little energy source." Heat and drought during the summer and a rather early harvest that was finished in the Rangen at the end of September made 2017 an excellent vintage with a clear and concentrated character.
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James Suckling
A very spice and sappy white with pine-nut and dried-apricot character to it all. Full body. Dry and spicy. Big and lively with loads of flavor in this style. From biodynamically grown grapes.
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Wine Enthusiast
Notes of flinty reduction combine with fresh green apple and lemon, giving an impression of smokiness. The palate is stony but offers depth and ripeness, with smooth fruit suggesting Amalfi lemon, Mandarin and grapefruit. Here and there a glimpse of Mirabelle plum appears, while the finish speaks of zestiness and barely unleashed power. Let this sleep for a while in the bottle. It will wake up and dazzle you.
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Wine & Spirits
The altitude at Rangen de Thann, rising to 1,575 feet, delays budbreak, while the steep volcanic slope provides air drainage, both of which protected this vineyard from the frosts of 2017. The 55-year-old vines at this southernmost vineyard in Alsace provide one of the most distinctive wines in Olivier Humbrecht’s portfolio, a wine of mineral power and structural grace, a riesling that captures the cold winds of spring and delivers them back in fruit that’s brisk and dry. In fact, it’s barely fruity at all, hinting at lemon rind and grapefruit pith, youthfully submerged in a mineral bath, needing bottle age to mellow the crackling acidity and allow the fruit to come forward.
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.
Small but mighty, this picturesque region in northeastern France is renowned for its white wines produced by passionate families whose winemaking roots span generations and even centuries. Nestled between the Vosges Mountains and the Rhine River, Alsace benefits from a sunny, dry climate and a long growing season. It is one of the most geologically diverse regions in the world — one of the many reasons why Alsace rocks!
Alsace wines include dry, mineral-driven Riesling, earthy Pinot Gris, refreshing Pinot Blanc, exuberant Gewurztraminer, elegant Pinot Noir, and more. From traditional-method sparkling wines to easy-drinking AOC Alsace, to complex Grand Cru bottlings from 51 distinct sites, and rich, late harvest wines, Alsace produces a wine for every occasion. Most Alsace wines are single-varietal bottlings and are labeled with the grape name. The region is also one of the greenest wine-producing areas in France, with 36% of its vineyard area certified organic.
Riesling, the region’s calling card, is dry, fresh and floral in its youth, developing complex mineral and flint character with age. Gewurztraminer is known for its signature spice and lychee aromatics. Pinot Gris is prized for its combination of crisp acidity and savory spice as well as ripe stone fruit flavors. Pinot Blanc is an affable food partner or porch sipper. Pinot Noir, the only red grape in AOC Alsace, is now authorized in three Grand Cru areas and is also used for Crémant d’Alsace sparkling rosé. Any bottle you choose will offer deliciousness, pleasure and value that is unprecedented in other wine regions.