2019 Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Roche Calcaire

2019 Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Roche Calcaire

2019 Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Roche Calcaire The nose of this 2019 shows the great pedigree of the vineyards it originates, delivering complex fruit aromas (peach, nectarines, quince….) as well as an underlying minerality. It is also quite showy at this young age and will continue to open up with time. The 2019 Roche Calcaire has a beautiful velvety mouth texture that shows great energy. The acidity brings harmony and make the wine taste actually quite dry and delicate.

Seafood in butter or olive oil with green spice, ideal with lightly poached scallops. Also fine with roasted root vegetables with sea salt and pepper. Perfect with most seafood roasted over charcoal or wood fire, or with chicken & noodle dishes with subtle spice.

Domaine Zind-Humbrecht

The marriage of Léonard Humbrecht and Geneviève Zind (daughter of Alice and Emile Zind) brought the two small family Domaines together in 1959 and started what is today known as Domaine Zind Humbrecht. They built a new cellar in the village of Wintzenheim and set out to further grow the Domaine.

During the 1960’s and 1970’s some of the greatest terroirs in Alsace were left abandoned. These terroirs were usually on steep slopes which made them difficult to work and lower yielding. The flatter and more fertile vineyards on the valley floor which were easier to cultivate became more sought after. With his vision and focus on great terroir, Léonard Humbrecht started to collect the best parcels on the historic hillsides. He started by acquiring vineyards at the origins of the family Domaines, in the villages of Gueberschwihr and Wintzenheim.

The Domaine rapidly expanded with vineyard acquisitions in the Herrenweg de Turckheim, the Clos Hauserer in Wintzenheim (1973), the Clos Saint Urbain in the Rangen de Thann (1977), the Brand in Turckheim (1978), the Clos Jebsal and Heimbourg in Turckheim (1983) and finally the Clos Windsbuhl in Hunawihr (1987). With less than 5ha of vineyard surface in the beginning of the 1960’s, the Domaine today comprises of just over 40ha.

Léonard Humbrecht has always been impassioned by terroir and the foundations of the Domaine are based on respecting the terroir-grape variety rapport. Finding the harmony between the grape variety and the terroir on which it is grown, allows for the production of great wines. Léonard has also always been a fervent believer of lower yields and higher planting densities for quality wines, like the 10 000 vines/ha in the Rangen de Thann.

Leonard was the president of the “Syndicat de defense des Grands Crus d’Alsace” for many years and one of the linchpins for the creation of the Grand Cru classification system in Alsace.