Technical presentation
| Bottling : | September 2004 |
|---|---|
| Acquired alcohol : | 14.8 ° |
| Residual sugar : | 1.7 g/l |
| Yield : | 34 hl/ha |
| Optimum tasting : | 2013-2025 |
| Average age of vines : | 34 years |
| Terroir : | Grand Cru Rangen de Thann Clos Saint Urbain |
| Sweetness index : | 1 |
| Available for sale : | Yes |
| Soil : | Sedimentary volcanic rocks (Tuffs & Grauwake), South facing, Very steep slope |
| Format : | 1.5 L |
Description of the wine Pinot Gris Grand Cru Rangen from Thann Clos Saint Urbain 2003 - Magnum
Vines were the only thing capable of growing in the warm and sun exposed volcanic hillside of the Rangen in 2003 ! Even the most ferocious weeds gave up in July and August. Just like with the Riesling, we didn’t feel that the grapes needed to be picked too late and were happy to harvest them very healthy at the same moment as other vineyards on our estate. The grapes were also very dark in colour.
Tasting notes
06/2004 : The fermentation was ultra powerful, leaving no chance to any sugar to hide in this wine. The nose is totally dominated by the volcanic character: smoke, flint, still quite lean and closed today. The palate is impressive and dry, showing ripe tannins and delicate minerality. Again, this wine doesn’t show at all the heat of the vintage. The power is all hidden behind a very straight structure.
10/2004 : Very classic dry Rangen. So different from previous vintages where the sweetness was higher. The smoky/flinty character marries perfectly with this grape variety. The Rangen can handle the powerful palate better than any other vineyard. The finish is long, but seems almost delicate. Careful, it this wine from the Rangen that made Hercules collapse.
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.