Technical presentation
| Bottling : | February 2014 |
|---|---|
| Acquired alcohol : | 14° |
| Residual sugar : | 5.8 g/l |
| pH : | 3.3 |
| Yield : | 23 hl/ha |
| Optimum tasting : | 2017-2037+ |
| Average age of vines : | 50 years |
| Terroir : | Grand Cru Rangen de Thann Clos Saint Urbain |
| Sweetness index : | 1 |
| Soil : | Sedimentary volcanic rocks (Tuffs & Grauwake), South facing, Very steep slope |
Description of the wine Riesling Grand Cru Rangen from Thann Clos Saint Urbain 2012
The Rangen is located at the exit of a deep valley and is very close to high mountains. It explains a higher rainfall than Turckheim for example, which is more than welcomed because the steep south facing volcanic soils drain the water very quickly and drought can be a problem. Storms can also be more violent in Thann and that was clearly the case in early August when this vineyard was hit by an intense hailstorm. We lost between 20 to 50% of the crop, depending on the location within the Clos-Saint-Urbain. Fortunately, being very early in the season, the storm removed parts of clusters, and in some sectors the entire cluster, but did not affect the grapes left on the vine. The crop reduction also explains the richness of this wine, which, amazingly, was able to ferment dry.
Tasting notes
02/2014 : Intense yellow colour. The nose almost has a tactile touch such are the flinty, mineral/stones and smoke aromas dense and intense. The volcanic soil isn’t alone in this wine, there is a vibrancy that conveys emotions. The palate is long, rich, powerful with amazing character and depth, right through the finish which is surprisingly tight and dry. However, at the end, the palate keeps in memory a delicate wine, no excess weight, everything is necessary in this wine and there is nothing missing. This vineyard had a hard time in 2012 and it was capable to fight back superbly, producing an emotional wine.
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.