Technical presentation
| Bottling : | January 2020 |
|---|---|
| Acquired alcohol : | 13.5° |
| Residual sugar : | 10 g/l |
| Total acidity : | 2.7 g/l H2SO4 / (4.2g/l Tartrique) |
| pH : | 3.50 |
| Yield : | 29 hl/ha |
| Optimum tasting : | 2023-2043+ |
| Average age of vines : | 55 years |
| Terroir : | Grand Cru Rangen de Thann Clos Saint Urbain |
| Sweetness index : | 2 |
| Available for sale : | Yes |
| Soil : | Sedimentary volcanic rocks |
Description of the wine Pinot Gris Grand Cru Rangen from Thann Clos-Saint-Urbain 2018
The Rangen Grand Cru is located at the southern end of the Alsace wine road, on a very steep south facing hillside, directly over the river Thur. The Clos-Saint-Urbain takes his name from a small iconic chapel built in the middle of the vineyard. Saddly the original chapel that was built at the end of the 15th century got destroyed during the French revolution, and again during first world war. The current chapel was rebuilt after along the middle of the Clos. The soil of the Rangen is a unique volcanic sedimentary rock. Ashes and smokes from a nearby volcano sedimented under the sea and got compacted into rocks as the Vosges mountains were formed. The Rangen has the ability to dramatically influence the style of the wine. If the Riesling is an obvious choice in this vineyard, it is arguably the Pinot-Gris that actually transcends and makes one with the vineyard. If the slope, sun exposure, altitude… can explain the richness of the wines of the Rangen, it is the soil that construct their personality and character. The 2018 was harvested at the perfect ripeness, but nature being nature, the yeasts decided to leave a very small amount of sweetness in the wine -indice 2- probably also influenced by a very small amount of noble rot.
Tasting notes
04/2020 : Bright intense yellow with some gold. The nose is bold, powerful, developing intense flinty aromas, smoke, wet humus… The palate is surprisingly tight and elegant. Smaller berries brought a slightly higher concentration in tannins. The wine is caressing the palate, develops a velvety structure. Beautiful harmony and bright finish. He acidity of the Rangen wines is particularly saline (volcanic rock) and this is the major taste on the finish of this wine. Grand vin, for keeping !
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.