1996 Zind Humbrecht "Clos Jebsal"

100% Pinot Gris

Glass: Zalto Universal

"You gotta buy Zind Humbrecht if you want to taste the best of the best in Alsace".

That was the recommendation; I received when I started to have an interest in wine. The advice even had the ultimate approval stamp, with soaring high scores from Robert Parker. After having tasted a wide range of Zinds, I realized that my palate liked the Pinot Gris better than his Riesling (except his "Brand", but that was too expensive for me).

Back then; the wines delivered what I was looking for. It didn’t haven to be an everlasting relationship, as there was so much to try - but give me a wet kiss I'll dance with you. So we did and there aren't much more to it, than a flashback in time and a period with an overwhelming curiosity.

But my palate changed. It was German Riesling who altered the game plan. If to generalize, Alsace seemed a bit clumsy in comparison with their German cousins. German Riesling simply had a higher level of clarity, lightness and just much more class and finesse in my humble opinion.

But on this Friday (home alone) I did exactly what I did 17 years ago. I sat down with my favourite Zind Humbrecht / Clos Jebsal and served myself Terrine de foie gras with elderflower jelly and toasted bread on the side. Later I had a comté cheese with candied walnuts ready.

So let's pour the wine....

Insane nose and lot's of curiosity at first, but I was to learn that it was just a matter of time, before it spread to bizarre. You can't help to notice it's a wine with a massive thick viscosity and it should be fair to say it's loaded with flavours. There is also some residual sugar involved. Here are some of the notes, which came to my mind; acacia honey, elderflower, burned caramel, resin, birch trees and a wicked note of dates. The latter note is a real dilemma, as it opens a tricky spicy window and kills off both freshness and purity. Taste is incredible wild, opulent and too heavy loaded. It worked fairly okay, when I had the foie gras, but without food it was a disaster and slowly killing my appetite to continue. I rested half of the bottle for day two, where it hadn't improved.

An afterthought comes to my mind, whether it’s in fact too old? It’s certainly on the verge of tilting over. I have a 2001 Clos Jebsal left - think I will taste it sooner than later.

Ps. I have heard Zind Humbrecht in recent years shifted from this opulent type of wines to a more elegant style. Anyone out there with knowledge about this is more than welcome to chime in. Thank you.

1996 Trimbach, Riesling "Clos Ste Hune"

(Old-school Riesling - old image)

Blend: 100% Riesling

Vineyard: We are in Hunawihr - the site is located at the centre of the Rosacker Grand Cru vineyard.

Soil: Limestone

Production: approx. 9000 bottles per year.

Bonus: Clos Ste Hune is monopole of Domaine F.E. Trimbach, and has been owned by the Trimbach family for over two centuries.

Glass: Zalto Universal

I have always admired Clos Ste Hune from Trimbach.

I have tasted the wine on several occasion and vintages. It's an incredible long-lived Riesling. I remember being fortuned to taste some of the really old vintages and it's always fun to see people blind guessing 20-30 years off on a bottle of CSH from the nineteen sixties.

I have tasted the 1996 vintage 6 times – but man it has been a while. So I really looked forward to dig in and going down memory lane.

I had the wine I tree stages. First with dinner (I had opened the wine 2 hours before serving) - Coq au Riesling, then a couple of glasses without the food and 2 hours later, when all the putting the kids to bed, cleaning up the house had ended – I sat down and had the last third of the wine.

First stage revealed an incredible rich wine, with lots of sensational fruit servings, such as honey infected fruit and divine sweet and vivid fruit. You also had some of the classic Riesling trademark, the scent of petroleum. Tasting the wine is a mineral overload and an incredible structured finish.

The second stage of the wine was the least interesting. It was like the fruit had contracted, bringing out some darker patterns and the honey scents now felt like there going more to dark caramel. Maybe I am a bit sensitive and saw the sulpur-ghosts – but it felt like a note, which reminded me of sulphur. It was certainly not nice, but it could very well just have been some spicy notes.

2 hours later – the wine had transformed and was actually fresher and divine lime-driven. No more mysterious sulphur notes and the lush fruit from the opening were now transformed into a sleek and crystallized fruit bath. The aftertaste was seriously impressive - really long and filling the entire mouth with mineral grains.

Stunning Riesling, but I will have to say, it wasn’t an emotional wine – my heart belongs to something else now. But from an objective view, Clos Ste Hune are still paradise for Rieslings lovers.

2006, Julien Meyer "Heissenstein Pinot Noir", Alsace

Zero Sulphur

Biodynamic

Glass: Zalto Burgundy

I thought it would be fun to publish this TN now - next to the sulphur infected Comtes de Champagne. I will still have a post on Tarlant for you later and also I will do a small wrap up of some of the other wines I have tasted in April. Plus I will attend a Krug Tasting this Friday.

I have actually tasted this wine before in 2004 Vintage some time ago, where it was served blind at a small tasting and I remember guesses flying in the direction of Burgundy and Leroy.

I served it rather chilled, around 14 degrees and just poured it directly from the bottle. 14 degrees is cold, but it’s all right, as the wine is already born very cool tempered and you will only bring out even more divine and sensational freshness. It’s filled with red raspberry fruit, sweet cherries and everything is so bright, pure and intense. It’s extremely seductive, yet very complex and one of those wines you can get lost in, by just sniffing it. On the tongue it curls with magical precision, slim and utterly refreshing. Like my wife said – “Can it be better than this?”

It’s worth to mention. I served it with a rather rustic lamp dish with carrots and thyme, where I in “the old days” would have served a rustic wine – let’s say a Chateauneuf du Pape. But this wine did it so much better, as the it’s bright flavours, low alcohol - combined with it’s sweet raspberry notes, was so cleaning and refreshing for the taste buds.

I rushed away to my local wine pusher and picked up a six-pack of this. I have already had it twice since…oh dear…my Champagne purchase plan is already destroyed.

2001 Marcel Deiss, "Altenberg de Bergheim", Alsace

(Glass; Zalto Universal)

It’s rare that I come across a wine of this character and it’s even rarer, that I find myself in conflict of the simple question – do I like this wine? The ravishing sherry colour tells you that it’s not your everyday bonanza wine in the glass, but the work biodynamic wild man number one; Marcel Deiss. The nose is incredible wild – super complex with notes of, apricot, rubber, smoke, mild botrytis, flowers, caramel, oxidized sherry notes and even malt. But to twist things a bit, and what at first hand seemed to be an opulent wine, it’s really not. Here on day two the wine shows incredible freshness and I would even go as far as calling it elegant. The taste is a little bit dominated by the viscosity of the wine as it hides the mineral snap and acidity. But it’s not heavy at all to drink and really has a subtle feeling. The bad thing about the taste is the fact that you simply end of with too much chewing on the flavours instead of a mouth cleansing feeling. The dilemma is the style and the sweetness of the wine, which causes it, to be a little bit too silky for my palate. But what a nose – wow.

26/10-2008

2001 Marcel Deiss ”Rotenberg”

(Smagt over 2 dage; glas Riedel Sommeliers ”Riesling”)

Vinen åbner i klassisk Alsace klæder i den lidt fedtede stil, hvor kernen er olieret, sødlig, akaciehonning og med en nærmest friteret karamel note. Friskheden er dog ret god (når den serveres kølig) og særdeles blomsterrig. Problemet for mig er denne olieret stil – der går minder tilbage til Zind Humbrecht og jeg må sige, at jeg simpelthen er vokset fra denne stil, som er alt for opulent og klodset til mig. Vinen havde dog udmærket elementer i form af en lille smule galskab, men nærmest krydret pære i næsen – lidt a la Herman Löwenstein. Men desværre bliver smagen et tilbageværende problem. Den olieret vin glider ned i ganen og smelter nærmest derpå med sine fede honning lag og aromaerne går derfra i næsen og så kan man ellers sidde og tygge lidt på lidt næseguf. Jeg ville dog have foretrukket et mineralsk udtryk med et syresmæld i munden, som nogle af de Tyske Rieslings kan det. Alsace bliver for min del mere og mere problematisk.

Sep-2008

2005 Julien Meyer Riesling "Grittermatte", Alsace

(Dekanteret 4 timer; Glas Zalto Universal)

På sin vis er dette en interessant vin. Næsen er præget af krydret fersken, tropiske frugter, eksotisk aftenparfume og karamel drømme. Kernen i vinen er kælen olieret, men stadig ret slank og hele tiden lurer noget autentisk biodynamik. Smagen forekommer i struktur stadig olieret og blød for ganen, men den sætter en ganske fint mineralsk smæld ind til sidst med en krydret hvid pære finale. Vinen er slet ikke nær så sprød, som en stålsat ”Tysker” og kan virke for blød i lagene – ikke desto mindre efterlader den lidt til eftertanken. En spændende vin – ikke mindst når det gælder mad – kammuslinger ville være oplagt.

2001 Ernest Burn, Riesling Goldert, Alsace, Frankrig

(Smagt over to dage – den står foran mig nu)

Jeg smagte denne i 2004 og her var den simpelthen rædsom med et overdrevent alkoholisk udtryk. Det er der heldigvis lavet helt om på nu og måske der var tale om en skæv flaske. Vinen er yderst fed i stilen og med en masse let Tysk Riesling i blodet, kunne man godt gætte Vendage Tardive, hvis man havde fået serveret vinen blindt. Her er brune æbler, akacie honning, karamel og sågar lidt gummibåd. Ikke en vin som vil tryllebinde den mineralske jæger, men charme har den i hvert fald. Smagen er ret god, den redder vinen med god læskende frugt og et herligt ananas skud i finalen. En vin der er meget let og forstå selvom den ikke levner særlig meget til fordybelse og intellektet.

Jul-2007

1992;Zind Humbrecht Clos Jebsal VT Tokay Pinot Gris;Alsace;France

Jebsal is one of my favorite Zind. I was not disappointed. The nose has acacia honney with loads of pure sweetness, flowers and butter. So elegant and yet so rich and pure. The elegance en feminine expression comes from the acidity which is quite high for a VDT but perfect balanced. Pure "candy" and very sexy. (95)

Tasted May 2003;

1997;Zind Humbrecht Brand Riesling;Alsace;France

Golden yellow color with a fat nose of honey pear flowers with sweetnees. I like my Rieslings with a hint of minerals and this Zind did nearly make it. Maybe because it was tasted vs Clos St. Hune 1996. As with other Zind Humbrecht wines the finish has a almost sparkling affect on the tongue that makes them balance (92)

May-2003

1996;Trimbach Clos St. Hune Riesling;Alsace;France

The "tight" 96' has finally opend up. It has golden yellow color with a big nose with a huge driven flower butter honey and petroleum nose. Mineral and extrem pure. The taste if oily and smooth with a long plesant finish with hints of honey melon. WOW! (97)

Tasted May 2003 vs Zind Humbrecht "Brand 1997"

2001;Zind Humbrecht Riesling Clos St. Urbain;Alsace;France

Golden yellow color with a huge nose. A nose that is extremly pure and seductive. The purity comes from the minerals that is mixed with a honey pear and slight touch of butter. This is why I love the Riesling grape. In the mouth the wine is still young and it is not so full-bodied yet. But everything will be in place in 2-3 years time. (94+)

02/08/2004

2001;Albert Boxler Riesling Sommerberg L31E;Alsace;France

Light yellow color with a oliy nose that has - honey melon and a stoned mineral note. Not so sharp as one could hope for and it has a slightly touch of something that reminds me of mint. The oily structure of the wine still has the upper hand and gives the wine a plesant taste overall. (90)

02/08/2004

1994 Zind Humbrecht Tokay Pinot-gris"Clos Windsbuhl”

Efterhånden er fast indslag I vores lille vinklub – det vidner måske om, at min beholdning af dessertvin er næsten ikke eksisterende. Den skuffer ikke og går godt til maden.

Maj-2008

2006 Mark Tempé, Pinot Blanc ”Zellenberg”

Temmelig kælen med akacie honning, eksotiske blomster, karamel tanker – men aldrig tung. Læskende afslutning. Spændende. Falder lidt sammen på dag 2, når temperaturen øges.

Maj-2008

2005 Zind Humbrecht, Riesling ”Clos Hauserer”

Vel er man klar over, at Zind Humbrechts noget til tider opulente stil er i glasset, men vinen er virkelig yndefuld på sin helt egen måde og bekræfter rygtet om, at ZH har lavet noget helt stort i 2005. Den samme honningsødme og tekstur præger vinen, som vi kender ZH for og fede pompøse blomster kommer til, sammen med mineralskud, skøn fylde og en klar fast tone. Smagen er ungdommelig og bærer stadig rundt på en smule hvalpefedt, men den har en rigtig flot rank stil. Godt lagringspotentiale. Nice.

Feb-2008

1994 Domaine Zind Humbrecht Gewurztraminer Herrenweg Turckheim

Spontant åbnet i forbindelse med, at de hjemmelavede torske-fiskefrikadeller blev tilberedt på panden. Hertil serverede jeg en løgmarmelade tilsat 3 slags sennep og rugbrød (Gastro opskrift) og så blev jeg pludselig tørstig. Der er anden gang jeg laver denne ret og jeg må sige, at den fungere bedre med en god kvalitets øl. Men så tosset fungere den heller ikke her – sødmen og alkoholen var helt gak til maden, men den krydrede note fik nærmest en malt note (måske var øl associationerne fra sidste gang) i vinen og det kunne nemt holde løgmarmeladen i skak. Gewurztraminer er slet ikke mig og for pokker denne vin er alkoholisk præget og trods sødmen som modpolen, bliver det aldrig vellykket. Smagen er nærmest patetisk – et felttog af opulente ZIND H soldater uden retning og syrekanoner. Jeg kunne ikke drikke mere end en 1/3-del. Dagen derpå var den i spil igen, først om formiddagen da en vininteresseret gæst var forbi – og senere om aftenen og her skete en nærmest uhyggelig transformation. Vinen viser nu helt uhyggelige sekundære lag af saltet abrikoser, brændt hø, friteret karamel og mørke overjordiske kræfter. Det, som er forskellen nu – er at alkoholen ikke spiller førsteviolin mere, men kun brummer lidt i koret. Smagen er sindssyg koncentreret og tag ikke fejl – rimelig krydret – men nu viser sødmen, hvad den er sat i verden til og trækker vinen på plads i finalen. Jeg endte med at holde ret meget af den…men før jeg fik det store smil på, var flasken tom.

Jan-2008