Domaine Zind-Humbrecht : Gewurztraminer "Clos Windsbuhl" 2024

Characteristics and Tasting Tips for the Gewurztraminer "Clos Windsbuhl" 2024 from Domaine Zind-Humbrecht

Tasting

Colour

The colour is a light golden yellow, bright and clear, heralding a white wine made from ripe grapes yet vinified without any pronounced oxidative character.

Nose

The nose is magnificently expressive and reflects fine physiological ripeness, with aromas of ripe fruit, spice and toasted notes more commonly associated with sweet wines.

Palate

On the palate, the wine is vibrant, energetic and taut, carried by a racy structure in which acidity leads and keeps everything in check. The alcohol remains discreet, allowing the minerality of the Windsbuhl terroir to express itself fully, resulting in a wine that is at once extreme in its tension and harmonious in its balance.

Food and Wine Pairing

This Gewurztraminer "Clos Windsbuhl" 2024 pairs particularly well with dishes featuring smoky, grilled or lightly spiced notes that echo its aromatic profile. It can be served with roast or grilled poultry, duck with gentle spices, or exotic preparations such as a prawn curry or chicken with Indian spices. It also goes well with mild, soft-rind cow's milk cheeses served with dried fruit.

Serving and Cellaring

The Gewurztraminer "Clos Windsbuhl" 2024 has considerable ageing potential, with an optimal drinking window starting in 2028 and extending to around 2048, thanks to its racy structure and well-defined acidity.

A Racy Gewurztraminer Reflecting the Limestone Terroir of Clos Windsbuhl in Alsace

The Estate

Domaine Zind-Humbrecht was founded in 1959 following the marriage of Léonard Humbrecht and Geneviève Zind, which united two Alsatian winemaking families. Based in Turckheim, in Alsace, the estate now covers 42 hectares spread across numerous exceptional terroirs. It is run by Olivier and Margaret Humbrecht, joined since 2019 by their son Pierre-Emile. A pioneer of biodynamics in Alsace, Domaine Zind-Humbrecht has built its reputation on its pursuit of great hillside terroirs and a minimally interventionist approach to winemaking that respects the identity of each lieu-dit.

The Vineyard

This wine comes from Clos Windsbuhl, located in the commune of Hunawihr, in Alsace, between Riquewihr and Ribeauvillé. This monopole clos of approximately 5.15 hectares, farmed exclusively by Domaine Zind-Humbrecht, sits at altitude, facing south to south-east, on steep slopes. The soil rests on a shelly limestone of Triassic origin, the Muschelkalk, which is rich in magnesium. The proximity of the Vosges forest gives this terroir a cool, late-ripening climate, conducive to slow maturation. The Gewurztraminer vines that make up this cuvée have an average age of 54 years, and the vineyard is farmed according to biodynamic principles.

The Vintage

The 2024 vintage at Clos Windsbuhl was marked by a late harvest, carried out on Sunday 6 October, making this the last plot picked by the estate that year. Nearly sixty pickers were mobilised to bring in the grapes just before heavy rain forecast for the following day, preserving healthy grapes that had reached fine ripeness.

Winemaking and Maturation

The Gewurztraminer "Clos Windsbuhl" 2024 underwent a rapid and complete fermentation, resulting in a harmonious balance. In keeping with the estate's philosophy, the winemaking seeks to preserve the natural harmony of the grapes, with maturation on the lees in large foudres, without any intervention aimed at altering the expression of the terroir.

Grape Variety

This wine is made from 100% Gewurztraminer.