Technical presentation
| Bottling : | February 2018 |
|---|---|
| Acquired alcohol : | 12.6° |
| Residual sugar : | 10 g/l |
| Total acidity : | 3.0 g/l H2SO4 (4.5 g/l Acide Tartrique) |
| pH : | 3.30 |
| Yield : | 43 hl/ha |
| Optimum tasting : | 2021-2040 |
| Average age of vines : | 47 years |
| Terroir : | Clos Windsbuhl |
| Sweetness index : | 2 |
| Available for sale : | Yes |
| Soil : | Medium slope, Muschelkalk calcareous, South East facing, South facing |
Description of the wine Pinot Gris Clos Windsbuhl 2016
The history of the Clos Windsbuhl goes back to the 15th century, but the first mention of a grape variety cultivated at the Windsbuhl refers to 'Tokayer' (or Pinot-Gris) in 1855. The late ripening character of this vineyard and its limestone soil certainly motivated the choice of this demanding and difficult grape variety, requiring a terroir that is able to impose a structure and a complex taste on a wine that would otherwise be too soft and neutral. The Muschelkalk limestone of the Winsdbuhl gives the wine a unique energy and finesse. Only the oldest vines are used for the production of this wine. In 2016, the harvest was healthy and slightly late, allowing to reach a good phenolic maturity at a low alcohol potential. The fermentation was very slow and the wine kept a slight roundness.
Tasting notes
02/2018 : Bright yellow color. The nose reveals an aromatic profile on almond, toasted bread, delicately honeyed. Still very young and pale in appearance, it opens slowly in the glass. It is possible to feel the influence of the soil on this wine in the mouth. The palate is much more immediate than the nose suggests. Elegant, of medium power, invigorating, it does not tire the palate thanks to a ripe and tonic acidity. The wine opens with a white fruit finish and a nice mineral presence that makes you forget its initial roundness. A small presence of CO2 will impose a decanting.
The Clos Windsbuhl of Hunawihr
The altitude of the vineyard coupled with Hunawihr’s tardy climate means that the Clos Windsbuhl is often one of the last of our vineyards to be harvested. This explains the aromatic quality of the Clos’ wines and the consistent balance of acidity, a guarantee of good ageing. Although often harvested late, the Windsbuhl grapes are only rarely botryitized, doubtless due to the altitude of the vineyard, but nevertheless often reach high levels of maturity.