2006 Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Clos Windsbuhl

Diminished in volume and in that sense representing a selection, Zind-Humbrecht’s 2006 Pinot Gris Clos Windsbuhl constitutes that share of their holdings in this cru that was not blended into one of the vintage’s two generic bottlings. Honey-and caramel-drizzled, brown-spiced poached pit fruit, along with banana cream, hazelnut puree, cocoa powder, and candied chestnuts inform an expansive and creamy palate. The fungal notes from botrytis common to so many wines of this vintage, especially to Pinot Gris, have here morphed into an alluring whiff of white truffle. This finishes with its considerable sweetness well matched to the confectionary and low-toned richness of flavor. Certainly this would make an amazing foie gras wine – although the same could of course be said about scores of the best Alsace Pinot Gris, and how often do any of us partake of that divisive indulgence? Here is a dramatic instance of stylistic divergence, since the wine of the same name in 2007 is dry. “After the experience of 2003,” remarks Olivier Humbrecht with an eye to his 2007s, “I’m never going to complain about having and extra gram or two of acidity.” In fact, Humbrecht considers 2007 ideal in nearly every respect, having permitted the grower the luxury of picking under optimum conditions for each grape variety and style. The fruit was completely healthy, insists Humbrecht, “you could walk through the vineyards for half an hour and fine one spoiled berry,” … except, of course, where the rot was noble! This year’s generally dry-tasting, relatively low-alcohol, high acid, high-extract Rieslings are not always the most youthfully approachable or winsome in style, but the best are profound; whereas Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer ran to extremities of potential alcohol, even though the harvest was finished before mid-October. Far fewer wines went through malo-lactic transformation here from 2007 than usual – the pHs were often so low they proved inhospitable to the necessary bacteria. As for 2006, it’s clear that this is a year to test the meddle of any grower, and it is therefore not surprising that Zind-Humbrecht was among the estates to demonstrate that excellence and even excitement were not ruled out by the weather. Furthermore, he arrived at an average 2006 yield virtually identical to that of 2005. “Of course,” asserts Humbrecht, “quality in 2006 depended on how you handle your vineyards and your vines the whole year through. It was a vintage where, if you made a mistake in the vineyards, you got slapped pretty hard at harvest time, unlike 2007 where if you made a mistake, nature was forgiving.” The completion of fermentations in 2007 was spread over even more months than usual, often with late bottling; frequently with no racking; and my notes are based both on tastings from bottle early this year (sometimes referencing the wine’s performance from cask) and in a few instances solely on tastings from cask. Two 2007 Pinot Gris “Trie Speciale” – from Clos Windsbuhl and Clos Jebsal – were not even wine yet last I visited, and will in any case not be released for at least another year. Importer: The Sorting Table, Napa, CA; tel. (415) 491-4724