Technical presentation
| Bottling : | February 2018 |
|---|---|
| Acquired alcohol : | 13.0 ° |
| Residual sugar : | 2.0 g/l |
| Total acidity : | 3.5 g/l H2SO4 / (5.4g/l Tartrique) |
| pH : | 3.4 |
| Yield : | 25 hl/ha |
| Optimum tasting : | 2020-2040+ |
| Average age of vines : | 54 years |
| Terroir : | Grand Cru Rangen de Thann Clos Saint Urbain |
| Sweetness index : | 1 |
| Soil : | South facing, Very steep slope, Volcanique ( tufs & |
Description of the wine Riesling Grand Cru Rangen from Thann Clos Saint Urbain 2016
I firmly believe that great vineyards were not planted by coincidence. Some places possess a character, an energy…, a potential that elevates them regardless of the effort done by the people cultivating them. Of course, density, choice of vegetal material, keeping the vines and grapes healthy is very important, but ultimately, the making of a great wine is a mystery. The Grand Cru Rangen is such a place. Dramatic setting, steep slopes above the river Thur and this unique volcanic soil add to the character of the wine. 2016 wasn’t a big crop in The Rangen as the vines struggled to finish the flowering in good condition. The Riesling Rangen was the first wine to finish ferment bone dry. The grapes had rich yellow colour, having had a long time to mature after the flowering.
Tasting notes
02/2018 : Bright yellow colour. The nose is full, intense, showing a great potential. The long sunshine hours from Summer and Autumn bring an intensity only achieved in rich years. There is a complex combination of ripe fruits and raw smoke on the nose, so typical of this volcanic soil. The palate has a juicy, high acid structure, enhanced by some natural skin tannins. It finishes dry, steely, with a savory bitterness. This wine begs for food! And also some further ageing.
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.