There are legendary estates that get profiled in books with titles like Great Wine Estates of the World or something similarly aggrandizing, and there can be no doubt that an estate like Zind-Humbrecht would be counted among these. There are a handful of producers in Alsace that are legitimately in the same top peer group, and I find that wines from such estates tend to occupy their own stylistic realm. Perhaps it would be better to say that, while there may be similarities among two dozen first-rate producers, the top echelon of this group makes wines that are at once so familiar and so compellingly idiosyncratic that one cannot help but think of these estates first when thinking about the region. These idiosyncrasies naturally cause a given taster to prefer one over another, but it is difficult to imagine anyone finding a way to dispute their greatness, especially that of Zind-Humbrecht.

Zind-Humbrecht is situated just outside Turckheim in a beautiful, modern-styled winery. The upstairs tasting room looks out over the Herrenweg (which surrounds the winery) to the hillside where the Heimbourg and Clos Jebsal vineyards are situated just to the east of the Grand Cru Brand. If you turn around, you can see the hillside that is home to the Grand Cru Hengst, along with the Clos Häuserer and Rotenberg vineyards. The only vineyards not visible, at least in part, from the winery are the Grands Crus Goldert and Rangen to the south (in Gueberschwihr and Thann respectively), and the Clos Windsbuhl to the north (in Hunawihr).

The Wines
If there is a fault with Zind-Humbrecht, perhaps it is that they do not produce a "classic" or "generic" range of wines to act as an introduction to the estate. That said, they do make wines that sell for less than $30, including the Zind (classified as a Vin de Table because it contains Chardonnay! And no joke--go buy this wine!), the Riesling Herrenweg de Turckheim and the Pinot Gris Calcaire. I would love to see a $20 Muscat at some point, but perhaps market forces aren't compelling enough. The pedigree of the wines IS compelling though, for those concerned with this sort of thing: the Zind and Pinot Gris Calcaire both contain declassified fruit from young vines in the Clos Windsbuhl. Zind-Humbrecht has been fully biodynamic for many years now, and Olivier Humbrecht, who took over from his father Léonard in the late 1980s is a master of biodynamic farming and the result of his gifts in the vineyards is a great gift to our wine glasses.

The wines from Zind-Humbrecht have, in the aggregate, intense varietal character expressed through sublime aromas, concentrated and unadulterated flavors that are colored by their individual terroirs. The wines from Zind-Humbrecht have in the past--as often as not--had a significant amount of residual sugar. I imagine that sugar levels have always been dictated largely by the nature of the wine in any given vintage, but I have never found these wines out of balance--sugar or no--and many have absorbed the sugar as they age (meaning that the wines come in to focus in the cellar--acids and sugars acting in an ethereal harmony), so the sugar's contribution is less to sweetness and more to texture and overall profile. However, when I visited recently, the impression I got from tasting through the portfolio was that the wines seemed uniformly drier, and this is intentional, as it turns out.

This estate is a bastion of experimentation, and was in the vanguard of working with Chardonnay as a single variety wine. The Clos Windsbuhl Chardonnay is one of the most amazing expressions of this ubiquitous grape I've ever encountered, and is clearly a wine built for long-term aging (in the vein of the great White Burgundies of the 1940s, 50s, and 60s) with many subtle layers of flavor and complexity. The Humbrechts are also working with the Clos Jebsal with the goal of releasing late-harvest wines from its slopes every vintage, though occasionally the vintage doesn't cooperate, and they release a regular Pinot Gris (albeit rather extreme in its crafty, nuanced display of intensity).

Ongoing Legacy
The Humbrechts have resuscitated some of the great vineyards of Alsace, including a large portion of the Grand Cru Rangen. One of the greatest vineyards in the world, especially for Riesling, Rangen was under-served by its tenants until Leonard Humbrecht bought a plot and started making great wine on this steeply sloping vineyard that dominates the skyline of the small town of Thann. An expensive parcel of land to farm (it has to be worked entirely by hand and mule), it nonetheless pays dividends to those who work with its fruit. Zind-Humbrecht remains the greatest producer of wine from this vineyard.

And as I said before, the wines from Zind-Humbrecht are all grown while adhering to biodynamic principles. I don't imagine this will be an issue over the longer term, despite the ever more extreme terms that some of biodynamics' most prickly adherents try to dictate to others who use the same practices but are less fanatical (an ongoing issue, as I discovered in conversations with several biodynamic producers in France recently). Olivier Humbrecht talks most intelligently about the more mystical elements of biodynamics, and if he's a fanatic, he's got a great poker face. He sounds like someone who has embraced biodynamics after a liberal (in the good old fashioned, non-political sense of the word) investigation of it, rather than someone who is enchanted by what appears, on the surface, to be hocus-pocus, and there are enough of those people in the world already.

The spirit of intelligent inquisitiveness that clearly powers this estate to greatness should be an inspiration to all who make wine. It's hard for most retailers and consumers to remember Alsace, but I've found that wine producers from around the world keep tabs on what's happening there, and I don't doubt that these producers follow Zind-Humbrecht's activities closely...as should you!

Popularity: 14% [?]

I went to Zind-Humbrecht in Turckheim last month and met with cellar master Olaf Richter, as Olivier Humbrecht was out of town. Olaf is an affable, ingratiating man who has worked a circuitous path outside of the wine world en route from the Pfalz (across the Rhine) to this extraordinary domaine, where he has soaked in more than just wine. We talked at length about many things, wine and beyond, and--as you might expect--we tasted through many, many wines (I'll publish my complete tasting notes soon).

An Astounding Beginning
We tasted through more than twenty of the estate's 2007s, and it would be difficult--because of such uniformly high quality--to single out one wine, except for the one that would stand out because it doesn't belong: a Chardonnay. The Chardonnay is from the Clos Windsbuhl, a vineyard famous for Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Gewurztraminer. And here they've made this extraordinary Chardonnay, so perhaps Chard should be added to the list of permissible grape varieties?!?! Since it is not on that list, it is relegated to Vin de Table status, and the vintage date may not be printed on the label. This is ludicrous, as such a seriously made wine has no business not being recognized as such, which Vin de Table isn't. M. Humbrecht made this wine from strictly controlled yields from vines in a vineyard cherished for the quality of regionally permitted varieties, and it spent some time in two- to three-year-old barrels obtained from a grower in Burgundy. In context, it hardly seems like Alsace wine when you taste it, but it is not like any Chardonnay I've ever had, either. It is a fascinating wine, combining elements of juniper, mint, and ginger into a serious, incredibly expressive wine that is unmistakably Chardonnay. This wine was but a harbinger of the things to come.

Looking for the Mystery
The wines that I found most stimulating were those that seemed to be hiding their hand. There were five (of eight) Rieslings that conjured this feeling in me, Clos Häuserer, Heimbourg, Clos Windsbuhl, Rangen-Clos St.-Urbain, and Brand Vieilles Vignes; two Pinots Gris, Clos Windsbuhl and Rangen-Clos St.-Urbain; two Gewurztraminers, also from Clos Windsbuhl and Rangen-Clos St.-Urbain. The sense of mystery in these wines was mentally and emotionally energizing and unsettling. They seemed to express qualities reminiscent of a scratch lottery ticket...with each passing year, more of the layer obscuring the prize is scraped away. At the same time, all the elements were there, you can taste them, draped like many curtains over the final goal. When they align to express their true nature, each in its own way, what a reward there will be!

A Few Bargains
The 2007 Pinot Gris Calcaire is a standout for value--it is "declassified" Pinot Gris from young vines in Clos Windsbuhl and Heimbourg. It would be incredibly useful at the table, as would both the Riesling Turckheim and the Riesling Herrenweg. The Gewurztraminer from Gueberschwihr, from vines adjacent to the Goldert Grand Cru, is a also a great value.

The Nectar of the Gods
There has been a trend in Alsace towards cultivating specific vineyards or plots only for the production of late harvest wines. Domaine Weinbach uses Gewurztraminer from the Grand Cru Mambourg in this manner, and Bruno Sorg uses its Gewurztraminer from the Grand Cru Florimont this way as well. Zind-Humbrecht cultivates Pinot Gris in the Clos Jebsal for this purpose alone, and this is one of the vineyards about which I was most curious. It is within sight of the winery, planted entirely with Pinot Gris, lies just below the Heimbourg vineyard, and is adjacent to the Grand Cru Brand.

The wines from this vineyard were radiant, golden expressions of sun, rain, and honey. The 2007 Sélection de Grains Nobles is an extraordinary, moving wine, with its sweetness taking a back seat to the rich panoply of flavors that cross your tongue (but don't think it is low on sugar!). Extraordinary doesn't fairly describe the 2006 Sélection de Grains Nobles Trie Spéciale, the flavors of which continually returned in waves...the finish slowly subsides, only to return a few minutes later. A wonderfully sensuous experience. One final note--from further south on the same hillside, I tasted the 2007 Riesling Brand Sélection de Grains Nobles...I wrote in my notebook, "I'm just going to sit and enjoy this one awhile." Now that's a great wine.

Popularity: 8% [?]

Buried deep in the concentric circles of Eguisheim is a worthy destination for any foot traveler, and traveling by foot is the way here. Be sure to have some cash with you to pay the nominal parking fee, then make the brief walk into this spellbinding village. When you arrive at Bruno Sorg, you'll no doubt notice the sign marking its place: whimsical and irreverent, the sign is a piece of paper that has been attached to a rod with a paper clip. This immediately fires my mind into speculation of possible subtexts, but perhaps it is only intended to acknowledge that this is a relatively new domaine. In a region steeped in tradition, with families and estates whose histories have survived innumerable conflicts and bloodshed, new domaines are not commonplace, especially domaines that make wine of the fabulous quality of Bruno Sorg.

The wines are generally unavailable in the United States, so through the years I have acquired Sorg's wines through various channels so that I could maintain a familiarity with this estate. I do this because, please excuse the pleonasm, Sorg’s wines are MAGNIFICENT. I'm not the only one who thinks so:

“Bruno Sorg is a small grower whose wines are seldom seen locally, let alone on export markets, which is a great pity, because either he is a natural winemaking genius or he accidentally makes classic wines from virtually every variety in all vintages. If anyone deserves to be known better, it is Sorg.” --Tom Stevenson, The Wines of Alsace

The wines from Bruno Sorg (now made by son François) are dry wines, with sugar playing a strong role only in late harvest wines. On the whole, the wines are sleek, ebullient, and incredibly consisent.

The Wines
Sorg’s “classique” wines are just that--archetypes of each grape variety. The aromas are bold, lively, and, well, classic. I wouldn't suggest that they are reaching for great complexity, but they indeed have much going on throughout the palate experience. I'm particularly happy with the contrary nature of the Gewurztraminer (though it isn't too atypical in Alsace). Most people associate this wine with sweetness, which is largely dictated by the fact that its potential alcohol is high. Sorg's is dry, but absolutely in balance, quite spicy and fun to drink. On the cold and snowy day I visited, the Gewurztraminers I sampled in this tasting room were particularly satisfying.

The Grands Crus possess suffusing subtleties and are less obvious, and have an emotionally and cerebrally engaging interplay of flavors, textures, and aromas that are quite soulful and driven. Sorg owns parcels in three Grands Crus, two in Eguisheim (Eichberg and Pfersigberg) and one in Ingersheim (Florimont). The Eichberg Gewurztraminer, Florimont Pinot Gris, and Pfersigberg Muscat are also thrilling wines. The Muscat is widely considered the best Muscat of Alsace. Florimont is one of two vineyards in which you may find the flora of the Mediterranean, and one might legitimately consider this sort of site to be a good one for Gewurztraminer, but François is not a fan. He does have Gewurz planted in Florimont, however, and he turns it into outstanding late harvest wines.

The late harvest wines, Vendanges Tardives and Sélections de Grains Nobles, are not labeled with "Grand Cru" on the label, I suppose this is even when they are entirely from a Grand Cru, but as they are always blended from multiple sources, this should not be surprising. There seems to be a philosophical stricture at work here, in that botrytis cinera--a.k.a., "noble rot"--so obscures a Grand Cru's expression with its own flavor set that it is no longer true to that Grand Cru. This is not a new philosophy, and it is certainly not shared by all, but I heard it from several new producers on my most recent trip, so it is gaining traction. Whatever the philosophy actually subscribed to at Sorg, the late harvest wines are spectacular, as one might guess.

Domaine Bruno Sorg
8, rue Monseigneur Stumpf
68420 Eguisheim
Telephone (from the U.S.A.): 011 33 3 89 41 80 85
It is best to be prepared to speak French here, but even if you don't you'll love the wines and feel welcome in their tasting room.

Popularity: 8% [?]

I was introduced to, seduced by, and weaned on Alsace wine by the wines of Trimbach. This happened more than a decade ago at a wine dinner in Chicago led by long-time exponent of the family, the affable and erudite Hubert Trimbach. It was certainly a formative experience for me, and when I tasted the wines, I felt as though I had found a long-lost friend--the kind that still knows you better than anyone--who gives you a warm place to rest.

A Long History

This venerable estate of Trimbach has been around since 1626, as you can find on the label. Originally based in Riquewihr, the estate relocated to Hunawihr in the 1840s and moved again shortly after World War I to its current location in Ribeauvillé. Frédéric-Émile Trimbach (the same F.E. in the estate's name) ushered in what was possibly the most important era of the domaine in the latter part of the Nineteenth Century, refining the wines and striving for unparalleled quality. This domaine operates at two tiers nowadays, one that is consumer-friendly and geared--it seems to me--towards either providing wine drinkers with everyday wine, or introducing them to Alsace wine (the Classic and Réserve lines); the other tier of wines (the Réserves Personnelles) are among the best in Alsace, all of them crafted for long-term aging.

The Trimbach's wine style is the result of a purist's devotion to a philosophy, which is to sum up (in my view, at least): dependability, striving for the best, motivated by local traditions. Their wines are reliably dry. They are elegant, with refined structure and tension in the high-end wines, and balanced, alluring fruit profiles across the categories. The estate also waits to release their top wines until they deem them ready to drink, if you must, but I get the sense that they would certainly prefer that you wait a few more years to drink them!

The Top Wines

Trimbach is known best for two of its Rieslings: Clos Ste.-Hune and Cuvée Frédéric-Émile. The Clos Ste.-Hune (technically not part of the Réserve Personnelle tier, but on its own level) is arguably the greatest example of dry Riesling on the planet--extremely long-lived and otherworldly in its expressiveness. The Clos is within the Grand Cru of Rosacker, but no other Rosacker Riesling has ever matched the Clos Ste.-Hune for fathomlessness and crystalline beauty, much less its intrinsic greatness. The Frédéric-Émile is also the product of Grand Cru fruit--a blend of two Grands Crus, actually: Geisberg and Osterberg. It is a heavenly and majestic Riesling, with more fatness (initially at least) than the Clos Ste.-Hune.

The Pinot Gris Réserve Personnelle is usually underestimated, and when it is young, I have been underwhelmed. However, when this wine has had significant cellar time it is truly marvelous. It shows its grandeur with an increased spiciness, and is a liquid advertisement for cultivating patience! It has less of an edge than any of its siblings in this line, especially when it is young, but maturity has never failed to pay great dividends of flavor. This wine is not made every year, but only the finest vintages, from grapes grown, I believe, in the Grand Cru Osterberg.

The most singular wine in the Trimbach portfolio is the Gewurztraminer Cuvée des Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre. This Gewurz--also only made in the best vintages--is built for the long-term: after ten years cellaring, its spice character is so greatly amplified that it can be something of a shock, which makes this a love-it-or-hate-it wine. The first time I had it (13 years ago), I hated, hated, HATED this wine. Fortunately someone had the good sense to put a piece of Alsatian Muenster in my mouth before making me take another sip, for which I really owe them a great debt! The Muenster helped me process the pungency of the wine, and in the span of thirty seconds, the whiplash of transforming from an Enemy of the Wine into a Rabid Fan was indeed sweet. Now I buy it every time I can find it. This is a DRY Gewurztraminer, which is, frankly, not common with this variety (Gewurz possesses the potential to be quite alcoholic if fermented dry).

Finding the Wines

Trimbach has a worldwide presence, and--along with Hugel--is one of the most tireless ambassadors of Alsatian wine. Finer grocery stores carry the entry-level wines, and occasionally the Réserve wines. Wine retailers and thoughtfully composed restaurant wine lists employ the Réserve Personnelle wines. The Clos Ste.-Hune is not the easiest wine to locate, and when you can find it, it is incredibly expensive, but it is the object of great devotion with a limited supply, and its price tag is borne out as justifiable year after year...just taste it and you'll see.

Trimbach has a savvy website that is a great source for domaine news, and they maintain an up-to-date blog (alternately in French and English) as well (the last post was made five days after I was there in February '10, with pictures of the snow blanketing the estate and vineyards--just as it looked when I was there).

Popularity: 5% [?]

An introduction to Maison Trimbach by Anne Trimbach, of the family's 13th generation.

Popularity: 4% [?]

I'm going to betray a little bias here, but there is a reason for it: were I able to choose anywhere in the world to which I could retire, it would be to the estate of Domaine Weinbach in Kaysersberg. The nature of the estate is almost too good to pass up, situated as it is so near the beautifully undulating sweep of the Schlossberg Grand Cru, not to mention the ecclesiastical beauty of the estate's most important and on-site holding, the Clos des Capucins. And the wines...excuse me for a moment while I stare off into the distance.... The wines are that good. Brilliant and varied, sometimes they are sensuous and flirty (try the Gewurztraminer from Furstentum--if you like Gewurz, there's little doubt that it will turn you on...as long as the price hasn't scared you away); sometimes cold and aloof at first taste, yet upon your return to the glass the reception is much warmer and exuberant (the Muscat has always given me this sense); sometimes introspective and lyrical, yet singing louder and more carefree with each sip (Altenbourg Pinot Gris...); sometimes stern and ungiving, only to mature two decades later to sing with a poetic minstrelsy, (Riesling Cuvée Théo is this way). I should confess that I react to the wines of many Alsatian estates in this emotional way, but this is the only place I'd want to live. Perhaps because the proprietor's, Madame Colette Faller and her daughters Cathérine and Laurence are so warmly welcoming. I am certain that the combination of great wines and hospitality explain why it is always busy, as tourists are constantly turning up to taste the wines, and visit with the women of the domaine, and make their purchases.

To people just coming to know Domaine Weinbach, they make what must seem like an endless array of wines, with names that get longer and longer. Daughter Laurence is now making the wines, and she has an artistic touch in the winery, making some of the most glorious wines you could ever hope for.

The names of the wines takes some explaining.

Cuvée Théo is named after Madame Faller's husband Théo who died in the late 1970s. The Riesling Cuvée Théo and Gewurztraminer Cuvée Théo are two of the four wines that come entirely from the Clos des Capucins, which is the walled vineyard that is laid out over an almost 13-acre parcel.

Cuvée Ste.-Cathérine is named both for Madame Faller's eldest daughter Cathérine, and for Ste.-Cathérine's day which is November 25. Madame Faller liked the idea of harvesting certain parcels on or around this date each year, and the resulting Cuvées Ste.-Cathérine certainly have unique and other-worldly qualities.

Cuvée Laurence is of course named for same Laurence who is now making the wines. Like the Cuvées Ste.-Cathérine, they are generally picked late.

For more information on the wines and their sources, click here.

Popularity: 6% [?]