Technical presentation
| Bottling : | September 2011 |
|---|---|
| Acquired alcohol : | 13.5° |
| Residual sugar : | 49.0 g/l |
| Total acidity : | 4.8 g/l H2SO4 (7.3 g/l Acide Tartrique) |
| pH : | 3.6 |
| Yield : | 17 hl/ha |
| Optimum tasting : | 2015-2040+ |
| Average age of vines : | 41 years |
| Terroir : | Grand Cru Rangen de Thann Clos Saint Urbain |
| Sweetness index : | 5 |
| Available for sale : | Yes |
| Soil : | Sedimentary volcanic rocks (Tuffs & Grauwake), South facing, Very steep slope |
Description of the wine Pinot Gris Grand Cru Rangen de Thann Clos Saint Urbain 2010
Like many other vineyards in 2010, the Pinot Gris grape developed some noble rot while the Riesling stayed very healthy. The Rangen is located in a late ripening climate, benefiting from an outstanding exposition to the sun (90% average steepness facing South). The combined effect of the river Thur, which brings humidity and solar reflection, and the rocky soil that catches the sun heat late in the season explain the quick development of noble rot in this vineyard, especially in the lower part, closer to the river. The Pinot-Gris started flowering slightly earlier than the Riesling and therefore coulure was more important. The 2010 fermented quite fast in just less than 3 months, but then settled for a balance with important residual sweetness.
Tasting notes
3/2012: just like the Riesling, this wine develops huge Rangen aromatics: flint, smoke, minerals, almost peaty (!) with more classic ripe white fruits. The nose doesn’t allow the taster to guess the intensity of the palate. The mouth feel is dense, long lasting and full of mineral flavours. One wouldn’t call it powerful or heavy as the acidity of the vintage prevents any heavy character. The sweetness is well present and deserves, today, an indice 5, but some ageing will see the structure take over. I expect this wine to age a long time.
The Clos Saint Urbain, Grand Cru Rangen from Thann
The Rangen de Thann is the most southerly of the Alsace vineyards. In his book « Where Alsace wines ripen », Henry Riegert writes: « from the Middle Ages those wines which ripen on the Rangen hillside figure amongst the most famous growths of the whole vineyard region ». The Grand Cru Rangen de Thann, is situated at the exit of the valley, overlooking the village of Thann with the river Thur passing at the foot of the slope.