Technical presentation
| Bottling : | January 2023 |
|---|---|
| Acquired alcohol : | 13.6 ° |
| Residual sugar : | 0.5 g/l |
| Total acidity : | 4.6 g/l H2SO4 / (7.0 g/l Tartrique) |
| pH : | 3.3 |
| Yield : | 10 hl/ha |
| Optimum tasting : | 2029/2046+ |
| Average age of vines : | 58 years |
| Terroir : | Grand Cru Rangen de Thann Clos Saint Urbain |
| Sweetness index : | 1 |
| Soil : | Volcanique ( tufs & |
Description of the wine Pinot Gris Grand Cru Rangen from Thann Clos Saint Urbain 2021
The Clos-Saint-Urbain is located all around the little Chapel Saint-Urbain, godfather of the winegrowers in France). This part of the Rangen was the one that my father preferred when he started to buy vineyard in this Grand Cru. Only the Clos is directly above the river Thur which brings a particular micro-climate. The soil is made of compressed old volcanic ash (grauwackes) that have the capacity to release impressive levels of minerals in the soil and eventually in the wines. The Rangen wines always have the highest level of ash content ! In 2021, the Rangen was a privileged vineyard as it suffered less from the spring frost but the wet spring made the yield drop dramatically. The grapes were harvest in perfect conditions and the wine fermented fully dry.
Tasting notes
01/2023 : Intense bright yellow colour. The nose is still tight, showing the typical gunflint, peat and smoky character of that volcanic hillside. It is difficult to guess on nose the intensity and power of this wine which is eventually revealed on the palate. The power is not alcohol driven, it is the vineyard itself that make this wine taste so intensely. The mouth shows a strong character and originality. It has a beautiful velvety mouthfeel supported by a lively bright acidity. It does last a long time on the finish, revealing the saltiness of the minerals of the volcanic geology, increasing the density of the wine, but with such an elegant and bright structure. There is so much freshness in this wine and it will age extremely well !
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.