Originally posted 11/05/02
Got together last Wednesday with a few locals for what was a truly special night for Alsatian wines, with the focus being on the wines of Zind Humbrecht. Fittingly, we dined at LAcajou, a lovely Alsatian restaurant here in the city.
The dinner was wonderful. The owner who is a big Zind Humbrecht fan, had us submit a list of wines to him advance so that he could craft a menu around them and this special attention was greatly appreciated and certainly enhanced the experience.
Much has been said on the various boards about the style of Zind Humbrecht. Theres no denying that theyre made in a full-blown, rich style. Many folks like this style, and those that prefer leaner, drier and tarter wines, do not. Earth shattering news, I know. However, After years of study, science has just concluded that those that enjoy Zind Humbrecht wines are more likely to be Yankee fans, while those that do not, tend to be Mets fans. This has come to be known in scientific circles as the Winners/Losers Corollary.
Before I digress any further, on to the notes.
Oh, one other thing worth mentioning is that there was not a single corked bottle out of the 20 wines we opened. I cant recall that ever happening before with so many bottles.
Brad
2000 Ernest Burn- Tokay Pinot Gris, Clos St. Imer Goldert
A rather restrained nose given its weight and openness on the palate. Quite sweet with lots of glycerin. Rich and luscious honey, mineral, smoke, pear and tropical fruit on the palate. Its a bit top heavy as it has a huge entry yet it seems to lose its momentum further in the palate. Finishes with a nice touch of grapefruit. A-.
1976 Adam- Riesling
Still intact, though not showing much fruit at this stage. Petrol and mineral dominate the nose with a touch of aged apricot. On the palate its lost a bit of weight with age and is quite dry, but its hanging in there nicely. Vibrant acidity with petrol, mineral and faint stone fruit flavors. Theres a nice, warm intensity on the finish. B+/B.
Served with an onion tart.
1990 Zind Humbrecht- Riesling, Brand Vendanges Tardives
Hubbah, hubbah! Those looking for a lean and mean Riesling need not apply. This is a banshee of a Riesling. Petrol, mineral and ripe apricot aromas dripping with honey come screaming out of the glass. Massive, sweet yet well balanced. The structure really came out with extended air time, though this will never be a crisp Riesling. Hpwever, theres no reason it has to be. Theres an avalanche of ripe stone and tropical fruits and mineral. Terrific stuff. Solid A.
1990 Zind Humbrecht- Riesling, Clos Windsbuhl- Vendanges Tardives
A very different wine than the Brand, but just about as good. Not as large-scaled as the Brand, nor as sweet, but it makes up for it with its more precise character. This wine shows terrific focus and more vibrant acidity with more of a mineral character. Refined fruit with more of a yellow character to them with a clean, grapefruit pith finish. Very nice. A/A-.
With Sauteed Foie Gras with pear compote and terrine of Foie Gras.
1989 Zind Humbrecht- Tokay Pinot Gris, Clos Windsbul- Vendanges Tardives
Tight on the nose, which is rather a shame, for when its open Ive often had a hard time taking my nose from the glass. Still youthful due to its acidity, though the stone fruit which Ive loved so much over the past few years seems to be slipping a little as mineral and light spice flavors seem to be taking on a greater role. The elegance and balance of this wine is what has always made this a cut above the rest. Long, lingering finish. Still a delicious wine, though I think its just reached or slightly passed the top of the curve of peak for my tastes. The 94 Windsbuhl VT will now take its place in the honor role. Low A.
1989 Zind Humbrecht- Gewrztraminer, Heimbourg- Vendanges Tardives
Forgive my giddy exuberance, but holy crap! What a nose! Decadently rich and effusive aromas of Lychees in heavy syrup, roses and ginger slap you around and leaves you feeling like one of Mike Tysons dates. A bit of a heavy-handed mouthfeel that could use a little more acidic lift, but the intensity of this wine makes that okay and hey, we are talking about Gewrz over here. Like flavors as aromas with a really pleasing spicy streak that picks up a trace of nutmeg to go along with the ginger. A superlative Gewrztraminer. A+/A.
With Magret duck breast with lingonberries.
1997 Zind Humbrecht- Tokay Pinot Gris- Clos Windsbuhl
This is generally my favorite vineyard for Pinot Gris as I love the deep minerality that this site always shows. Mostly dry, but ripe with plenty of extract. Mineral, spice and yellow citrus. Lovely stuff. A-.
1998 Weinbach- Tokay Pinot Gris, Altenbourg Cuve Laurence
Shows abundant ultra-ripe apricot aromas with mineral, smoke and red apples. Elegant, with like flavors as aromas, though quite sweet. The wine could use a little more acidity to perk up the mid-palate where the wine seems a little dull, but overall this is a delicious wine. Low A-.
1993 Zind Humbrecht- Tokay Pinot Gris, Heimbourg
A rather unusual nose for a Pinot Gris. Earthy, rather than minerally with a strong Gewrz character showing as theres some lychee and spice. Nice upfront, but the wine turns a little lean and has a hole in the mid-palate. Drink up. B+.
With Choucroute.
1997 Zind Humbrecht- Riesling, Rangen Clos St. Urbain
Extremely stoney on the nose and palate. Dry and full on the palate with a nice, lingering intensity. Grapefruit and lemon on the finish. Low A-.
1996 Boxler- Riesling, Sommerberg, L31E
Ive always liked Boxler. With the exception of some funky 93s, I cant think of a single wine from this estate that I havent enjoyed. Rich, yet with brilliant focus and firm acidity that this vintage is noted for. Mineral carries this wine, though theres underlying stone fruits. The wine is nowhere near as lean as many of the 96s Ive had. Solid A-.
1985 Trimbach- Riesling, Clos St. Hune
A lighter St. Hune, but one that carries itself with dignity and grace. Bone dry and mineral driven with a touch of lime, its focused and drinking wonderfully today. Solid A-.
With endive salad with nuts and Roquefort dressing.
1997 Zind Humbrecht- Gewrztraminer, Herrenweg Turkheim
A pleasing, classic Gewurz nose of lychee, roses and spice. Ripe without being massive and with just a hint of sweetness. Similar flavors as aromas. Textbook Gewurz. A-.
1989 Zind Humbrecht- Gewrztraminer, Clos Windsbuhl
Restrained on the nose, though with strong, gingery aromatics. Showing its age on the palate, unfortunately. Fairly disjointed with the alcohol sticking out. Has lost a bunch of fruit so one largely gets a spicy, minerally alcohol sensation. B.
1995 Zind Humbrecht- Tokay Pinot Gris Vielles Vignes
Open and friendly apricot, mineral and smoke aromas and flavors. It picks up some light spice and orange citrus on the finish. A little soft and lacks some depth, but its still quite enjoyable. Low A-.
With Alsatian Muenster cheese.
1993 Zind Humbrecht- Gewrztraminer, Goldert, Heimbourg and Clos Windsbuhl
Ive combined these three wines due to their relatively unimpressive showing. All of them have lost a lot of their fruit, are disjointed, lean and are on their way to becoming hollow shells. Of the three, the Heimbourg showed the best, but if you have them, drink them up quickly and with food as these are heading off a cliff. Storage was not an issue here. Low B-.
With apple fritters.
1991 Zind Humbrecht- Tokay Pinot Gris, Rotenberg- Selections Grains Nobles-
Golden in color, though not as dark as the following wine. A touch of volatility on the nose, but not enough to be offensive. Sweet and nicely balanced with rich apricot, honey, tropical fruit and red apple flavors and aromas. A rich, though slightly understated SGN that seems like the suit its trying to wear is a little big, but this is mighty tasty. A--.
1994 Zind Humbrecht- Tokay Pinot Gris, Clos Jebsal- Slections de Grains Nobles Trie Spciale-
Where does one begin with a masterpiece such as this? This wine had a group of experienced winos laughing giddily out of sheer pleasure and joy. The wine almost doesnt pour out of the bottle, but oozes. Theres enough sugar in here to stroke out a hummingbird! I dont recommend that diabetics even smell this nectar. Yet, despite the obese levels of sugary baby fat this wine has, theres a racy backbone of acidity in there that gives the wine a nice spring in its step. Massive, unctuous and dripping with honey, ripe apricots, tropical fruit, white raisins, apple and mineral flavors. The wine picks up a sweet caramel note on the back of the palate. As for the finish, well Im still tasting it. Ill let you know when it stops. At this point its not so complex. Its still monolithic and almost overpowering. However, time will be kind to this wind and will shape it into something even more special than it is now. Absolutely stunning and one of the best wines Ive had. Solid A+-.
Got together last Wednesday with a few locals for what was a truly special night for Alsatian wines, with the focus being on the wines of Zind Humbrecht. Fittingly, we dined at LAcajou, a lovely Alsatian restaurant here in the city.
The dinner was wonderful. The owner who is a big Zind Humbrecht fan, had us submit a list of wines to him advance so that he could craft a menu around them and this special attention was greatly appreciated and certainly enhanced the experience.
Much has been said on the various boards about the style of Zind Humbrecht. Theres no denying that theyre made in a full-blown, rich style. Many folks like this style, and those that prefer leaner, drier and tarter wines, do not. Earth shattering news, I know. However, After years of study, science has just concluded that those that enjoy Zind Humbrecht wines are more likely to be Yankee fans, while those that do not, tend to be Mets fans. This has come to be known in scientific circles as the Winners/Losers Corollary.
Before I digress any further, on to the notes.
Oh, one other thing worth mentioning is that there was not a single corked bottle out of the 20 wines we opened. I cant recall that ever happening before with so many bottles.
Brad
2000 Ernest Burn- Tokay Pinot Gris, Clos St. Imer Goldert
A rather restrained nose given its weight and openness on the palate. Quite sweet with lots of glycerin. Rich and luscious honey, mineral, smoke, pear and tropical fruit on the palate. Its a bit top heavy as it has a huge entry yet it seems to lose its momentum further in the palate. Finishes with a nice touch of grapefruit. A-.
1976 Adam- Riesling
Still intact, though not showing much fruit at this stage. Petrol and mineral dominate the nose with a touch of aged apricot. On the palate its lost a bit of weight with age and is quite dry, but its hanging in there nicely. Vibrant acidity with petrol, mineral and faint stone fruit flavors. Theres a nice, warm intensity on the finish. B+/B.
Served with an onion tart.
1990 Zind Humbrecht- Riesling, Brand Vendanges Tardives
Hubbah, hubbah! Those looking for a lean and mean Riesling need not apply. This is a banshee of a Riesling. Petrol, mineral and ripe apricot aromas dripping with honey come screaming out of the glass. Massive, sweet yet well balanced. The structure really came out with extended air time, though this will never be a crisp Riesling. Hpwever, theres no reason it has to be. Theres an avalanche of ripe stone and tropical fruits and mineral. Terrific stuff. Solid A.
1990 Zind Humbrecht- Riesling, Clos Windsbuhl- Vendanges Tardives
A very different wine than the Brand, but just about as good. Not as large-scaled as the Brand, nor as sweet, but it makes up for it with its more precise character. This wine shows terrific focus and more vibrant acidity with more of a mineral character. Refined fruit with more of a yellow character to them with a clean, grapefruit pith finish. Very nice. A/A-.
With Sauteed Foie Gras with pear compote and terrine of Foie Gras.
1989 Zind Humbrecht- Tokay Pinot Gris, Clos Windsbul- Vendanges Tardives
Tight on the nose, which is rather a shame, for when its open Ive often had a hard time taking my nose from the glass. Still youthful due to its acidity, though the stone fruit which Ive loved so much over the past few years seems to be slipping a little as mineral and light spice flavors seem to be taking on a greater role. The elegance and balance of this wine is what has always made this a cut above the rest. Long, lingering finish. Still a delicious wine, though I think its just reached or slightly passed the top of the curve of peak for my tastes. The 94 Windsbuhl VT will now take its place in the honor role. Low A.
1989 Zind Humbrecht- Gewrztraminer, Heimbourg- Vendanges Tardives
Forgive my giddy exuberance, but holy crap! What a nose! Decadently rich and effusive aromas of Lychees in heavy syrup, roses and ginger slap you around and leaves you feeling like one of Mike Tysons dates. A bit of a heavy-handed mouthfeel that could use a little more acidic lift, but the intensity of this wine makes that okay and hey, we are talking about Gewrz over here. Like flavors as aromas with a really pleasing spicy streak that picks up a trace of nutmeg to go along with the ginger. A superlative Gewrztraminer. A+/A.
With Magret duck breast with lingonberries.
1997 Zind Humbrecht- Tokay Pinot Gris- Clos Windsbuhl
This is generally my favorite vineyard for Pinot Gris as I love the deep minerality that this site always shows. Mostly dry, but ripe with plenty of extract. Mineral, spice and yellow citrus. Lovely stuff. A-.
1998 Weinbach- Tokay Pinot Gris, Altenbourg Cuve Laurence
Shows abundant ultra-ripe apricot aromas with mineral, smoke and red apples. Elegant, with like flavors as aromas, though quite sweet. The wine could use a little more acidity to perk up the mid-palate where the wine seems a little dull, but overall this is a delicious wine. Low A-.
1993 Zind Humbrecht- Tokay Pinot Gris, Heimbourg
A rather unusual nose for a Pinot Gris. Earthy, rather than minerally with a strong Gewrz character showing as theres some lychee and spice. Nice upfront, but the wine turns a little lean and has a hole in the mid-palate. Drink up. B+.
With Choucroute.
1997 Zind Humbrecht- Riesling, Rangen Clos St. Urbain
Extremely stoney on the nose and palate. Dry and full on the palate with a nice, lingering intensity. Grapefruit and lemon on the finish. Low A-.
1996 Boxler- Riesling, Sommerberg, L31E
Ive always liked Boxler. With the exception of some funky 93s, I cant think of a single wine from this estate that I havent enjoyed. Rich, yet with brilliant focus and firm acidity that this vintage is noted for. Mineral carries this wine, though theres underlying stone fruits. The wine is nowhere near as lean as many of the 96s Ive had. Solid A-.
1985 Trimbach- Riesling, Clos St. Hune
A lighter St. Hune, but one that carries itself with dignity and grace. Bone dry and mineral driven with a touch of lime, its focused and drinking wonderfully today. Solid A-.
With endive salad with nuts and Roquefort dressing.
1997 Zind Humbrecht- Gewrztraminer, Herrenweg Turkheim
A pleasing, classic Gewurz nose of lychee, roses and spice. Ripe without being massive and with just a hint of sweetness. Similar flavors as aromas. Textbook Gewurz. A-.
1989 Zind Humbrecht- Gewrztraminer, Clos Windsbuhl
Restrained on the nose, though with strong, gingery aromatics. Showing its age on the palate, unfortunately. Fairly disjointed with the alcohol sticking out. Has lost a bunch of fruit so one largely gets a spicy, minerally alcohol sensation. B.
1995 Zind Humbrecht- Tokay Pinot Gris Vielles Vignes
Open and friendly apricot, mineral and smoke aromas and flavors. It picks up some light spice and orange citrus on the finish. A little soft and lacks some depth, but its still quite enjoyable. Low A-.
With Alsatian Muenster cheese.
1993 Zind Humbrecht- Gewrztraminer, Goldert, Heimbourg and Clos Windsbuhl
Ive combined these three wines due to their relatively unimpressive showing. All of them have lost a lot of their fruit, are disjointed, lean and are on their way to becoming hollow shells. Of the three, the Heimbourg showed the best, but if you have them, drink them up quickly and with food as these are heading off a cliff. Storage was not an issue here. Low B-.
With apple fritters.
1991 Zind Humbrecht- Tokay Pinot Gris, Rotenberg- Selections Grains Nobles-
Golden in color, though not as dark as the following wine. A touch of volatility on the nose, but not enough to be offensive. Sweet and nicely balanced with rich apricot, honey, tropical fruit and red apple flavors and aromas. A rich, though slightly understated SGN that seems like the suit its trying to wear is a little big, but this is mighty tasty. A--.
1994 Zind Humbrecht- Tokay Pinot Gris, Clos Jebsal- Slections de Grains Nobles Trie Spciale-
Where does one begin with a masterpiece such as this? This wine had a group of experienced winos laughing giddily out of sheer pleasure and joy. The wine almost doesnt pour out of the bottle, but oozes. Theres enough sugar in here to stroke out a hummingbird! I dont recommend that diabetics even smell this nectar. Yet, despite the obese levels of sugary baby fat this wine has, theres a racy backbone of acidity in there that gives the wine a nice spring in its step. Massive, unctuous and dripping with honey, ripe apricots, tropical fruit, white raisins, apple and mineral flavors. The wine picks up a sweet caramel note on the back of the palate. As for the finish, well Im still tasting it. Ill let you know when it stops. At this point its not so complex. Its still monolithic and almost overpowering. However, time will be kind to this wind and will shape it into something even more special than it is now. Absolutely stunning and one of the best wines Ive had. Solid A+-.