Critic ratings
robert_parker
2018
Rating:
94
–94
From vines averaging 67 years of age in a medium to steep-sloping, south/southeast-facing cru on calcareous marl soils, the golden-colored 2018 Gewurztraminer Hengst opens with a deep and flinty, spicy and aromatic nose with lychee and blood orange zest and limon juice aromas. Rich and elegant on the palate, this is a full-bodied, dense and sustainable Gewurztraminer with candied bitters on the long and intense, clear and finely tannic finish. Sweet but not overly so (43.8 grams per liter of residual sugar), this is an excellent wine to pair with spicy dishes. The acidity here is remarkably vital and intermingled with the stimulating tannins. The alcohol is rather moderate for Gewurztraminer. Bottled in August 2019. 13% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted in January 2023.
robert_parker
2016
Rating:
93
–93
From red marl limestone soils, the 2016 Alsace Grand Cru Hengst Gewurztraminer opens with a very clear, intense and spicy-mineral bouquet that is very well-defined and fresh. On the palate, this is a rich, oily, concentrated, tannic and powerful Gewurtz with a long and aromatic finish. The wine is stunningly fresh and very tight. A long-distance runner for sure. Tasted June 2018.
This wine comes from two very old vineyards located in the middle of the grand cru, both planted with old massal selections that produce beautiful Gewurztraminer, more dark orange than purple, the ugly color of the modern clones…. Hengst is in a warm, dry, precocious microclimate, facing southeast and an average to steep slope. The red marl limestone soil brings great structure to the wines, interesting tannins that are always perfectly ripe. The Hengst is ripe early, but because it has the capacity to keep the grapes healthy for a long time, it can be harvested quite late. Understanding Gewurztraminer is tricky, and I would say that this grape is, in fact, a red wine that is sweet and looks like a white wine! Just like for a red wine, it is the phenolic and skin ripeness that matters the most for such wines. In 2015, the Hengst delivered an absolute classic wine.
robert_parker
2015
Rating:
93
–93
The 2015 Gewurztraminer Hengst is pure and flinty on the nose, perfectly ripe and precise. Full-bodied , round and piquant, this is a tension-filled, sweet and vital Gewurz with grip and fine tannins. Tight and long. A gorgeous wine!
robert_parker
2013
Rating:
94
–94
Well, the 2013 Gewurztraminer Hengst is no wine for easy drinking. It is the only Grand Cru that bids defiance to the Rangen de Thann. Coming from vines plated soon after WWII and 1957, the nose is seriously deep, salty-mineral and fresh, and displays clear aromas of white stone fruits, orange and lemon zests. Round, elegant and clear on the palate, this is a full-bodied, very elegant and tightly woven wine of great complexity, finishing with a dense, compact and mineral taste. The aftertaste of this powerful wine is tremendous and so is the potential. Sweeter than the Rangen but very promising too.
robert_parker
2012
Rating:
96
–96
Golden-yellow colored, the 2012 Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Hengst (from vines planted on the south, south-east-facing mid-slope in the 1930s and 1957) is a dense, super clear and very aromatic wine on the nose displaying deep and spicy mineral notes of oranges, lemons and spicy flavors. Very rich and oily textured, this is an intense and powerful yet highly elegant and nobly textured wine with a big structure, persistent tension and salinity -- a great Hengst with almost 15% alcohol (which is not necessarily a bad thing with Gewürztraminer) and 41 grams of unfermented sweetness. The piquant freshness and brilliance of this wine is remarkable, and so is the firm and tension-filled finish that indicates a great aging potential. Don't decant it, but wait for three or five or 25 years.
robert_parker
2010
Rating:
93
–93
The Humbrechts’ hail-trimmed crop of 2010 Gewurztraminer Hengst – from this site’s oldest vines – is scented with mint, white pepper, caraway, lychee, bacon and caramelized celery root, all of which combine on a remarkably firm, vibrant and bright palate leading to an intense finish in which alkaline and chalky notes add welcome counterpoint. The degree of sweetness engendered by 37 grams of residual sugar is not at all excessive. “I was totally wrong about this wine when I first tasted it after fermentation,” notes Humbrecht – echoing my own surprise – “as I guess that it might have around half the residual sugar that it actually does. Of course,” he adds, “Gewurztraminer is also tannic, and with small berries and a small crop like this that has a strong influence.” Indeed, there is formidable grip on display here, but no outright textural grit. However, the concentration of phenols and sheer extract may indeed play a role in which must count as an uncanny balance. I suspect this will merit following past 2035.
”The trap into which many growers fell,” opines Olivier Humbrecht, “was to pick 2010 too early and 2011 too late. In 2010 you had to wait for the acidity – especially the malic acid – to drop; whereas in 2011 you had a battle to keep potential alcohol from getting too high and the acidity too low. That situation made 2011 a record-breaking year for production of V.T. in Alsace, though not,” he adds with a smile, “at Zind-Humbrecht.” Having said the 2010 crop needed time to ripen, Humbrecht admits to some surprise at the fact that his harvest was finished already (with the Rangen vineyards), on October 18, earlier, as well as at higher must weights, than he had anticipated when he began strategizing and picking. But then, yields were miniscule even by region-wide 2010 standards (with Gewurztraminer decimated by hail on top of poor flowering); and like most practitioners of biodynamics, Humbrecht believes his viticultural regimen is conducive to promoting ripe flavors earlier in any given season. The fact that total pH levels in his 2010 vintage Rieslings remain so low even after most of them (like their 2011 counterparts) underwent malolactic transformation, is certainly proof that when Humbrecht picked, tartaric acidity far outweighed malic (green apple) acidity, in contrast with the situation that prevailed this vintage in most of the Rhine basin, French or German. Being on the whole slow to ferment even by this estate’s laissez-faire standards, Zind-Humbrecht’s 2010s benefited from the buffering of extended lees contact and very few were bottled before the following August, at which point the precocious 2011 harvest intervened. From that latter vintage, even much of the estate’s Riesling was picked by the third week of September, but Humbrecht reports that heat during harvest was not the problem that it had been in 2009. In addition, alcohol levels for Riesling cracked 14% only in Brand and Rangen (levels that – like those of his other 2011 Rieslings – Humbrecht underestimated when showing them to me from cask; and no wonder, because most of these wines manage to seem quite buoyant). Pinot Gris from 2011 was a different matter, with several bottlings – not for the first time – being vitiated by alcohol well in excess of 15%. Better perhaps, to have adopted the same attitude Humbrecht expressed that year toward Gewurztraminer: “to have tried to get balanced dry wines would in most cases have meant harvesting without physiological ripeness.” A welcome feature for many of us as Rieslings from both the 2010 and 2011 collections at this address will be their having with few exceptions fermented to analytical dryness, though the former often border on severity and will need time in bottle. The Humbrechts have recently found themselves in a ludicrous position. Unless a quorum of bottling growers can be found to collaborate on the establishment of a so-called cru communale (which commits those producers to 10% crop reduction and certain minimum prices) then a commune’s name is no longer authorized as the name of a wine. Neither Gueberschwihr nor Wintzenheim – the Humbrechts’ and Zinds’ ancestral villages – can muster such a quorum, so fantasy names have to be created to replace those village names if the same fruit as in past years is to be subjected to separate bottling.
Imported by Kobrand, Inc., New York, NY; tel. (212) 490-9300
1
robert_parker
2008
Rating:
92
–92
Even with an S.G.N. being selected-out from this site, Zind-Humbrecht’s 2008 Gewurztraminer Hengst is still an ennobled sweet wine, albeit with “only” 47 grams of residual sugar. Candied citrus rind, banana, caraway, and celery seed compose a most intriguing – some might argue bifurcated – nose. In the mouth, too, this offers a cooling herbal and chalky side while at the same time practically gaudy confitured and tropical flavors. Texturally caressing, yet invigorating and positively refreshing thanks to citric and saline finishing notes, it should prove to be a profound Hengst worthy of two decades’ attention.
Tasting the Zind-Humbrecht collections armed with what one knows of these vintages from most other establishments, both the 2008s and 2009s will harbor surprises. A number of 2008s are ornery in finished acidity, and some are more marked by botrytis than most other exemplars of their vintage from top addresses, this occasionally taking the form of fungal notes and piquancy that some tasters may find off-putting. The 2008 harvest began here already on September 23, lasting exactly one month. Selectivity in October – especially with Pinot Gris – consisted, explained Humbrecht, more in the careful removal of healthy bunches to insure some dry wines, with the remaining crop being left until later, the opposite of what more usually happens and at many other top-quality Alsace (or German) estates – notwithstanding the literal meaning of the expression “vendange tardive.” “Gewurztraminer was the last to ripen,” notes Humbrecht, and presumably for that reason grape sugars were very high by the time he picked, making for a collection nearly all of which exhibits V.T.-like sweetness. “It was almost easier and more sensible to make S.G.N. this vintage than V.T.,” remarks Humbrecht by way of explaining why he rendered six of the former and only one 2008 wine in the latter category. “If there had been pressure to harvest,” he notes, “then we would have had V.T.s instead.” The majority of 2008 Rieslings – as well as the Pinot Blanc and two Muscats – were not bottled until February, 2010 on account of their high acidity and/or sluggish fermentations. But most of those wines underwent malo and finished dry or virtually so. (The yeasts and beneficial bacteria may have found it tough working in such a low pH medium, but – eventually – they succeeded.) Yet even in early-harvested instances, Humbrecht says that the proportion of malic acidity – which thereafter diminished – was never higher than one-third. Most of the 2008 vintage Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer, even including the S.G.N.s, were bottled already in September, 2009.
The surprise on tasting the Zind-Humbrecht 2009s is an entirely pleasant one. The exceptional expressiveness of so many of these wines – even if Olivier Humbrecht admits that “they aren’t always perfectly precise or pure” – is surely in large part a tribute to vineyard management that permitted such a substantial portion of so large a crop to be picked unusually early, yet expressively ripe, although, a few sites succumbed to fortunately noble rot. Among practices to which Humbrecht points as relevant to his 2009 quality is his elimination in recent years of vine hedging to achieve earlier and more uniform flavor ripeness without excess grape sugar. Instead, his crew now lets the tips grow and then laboriously ties or tucks them back into the canopy, an approach for which fellow-proponent of biodynamics Lalou Bize-Leroy has become well-known. Against a background in vintage 2009 of wines that fermented rapidly for most growers, Humbrecht explains that this was the case for many of his, too; but some that had stopped with significant residual sugar over the winter began fermenting again in early summer of last year, a few not finishing until autumn and thus missing the main bottling session that takes place here each September. When I visited the domaine last November, Riesling Windsbuhl; multiple Rieslings from Turckheim including two Brands; and the Jebsal Pinot Gris S.G.N. were not ready to be assessed. Those who (like me) have harbored reservations about noticeably high alcohol in certain recent Zind-Humbrecht wines will be delighted to find 2009s that have in that respect also beaten the vintage odds, though to be sure, sometimes at the price of high residual sugar. With minor exceptions, retail prices have dropped for Zind-Humbrecht wines, in some instances significantly. Add to this an expanded range of generic cuvees and the Humbrechts’ willingness to declassify fruit from many outstanding sites (which helps account for the 2009 collection’s – relatively! – reduced number of bottlings), and most consumers can afford to enjoy – indeed, really have no excuse for remaining strangers to – at least some of these much-talked about and often iconic wines.
Importer: The Sorting Table, Napa, CA; tel. (415) 491-4724
robert_parker
2007
Rating:
89
–89
”For me, Gewurztraminer is a powerful wine,:” says Olivier Humbrecht, “and 2007 is well-adapted to this grape,” a comment one might want to ponder while tasting his 2007 Gewurztraminer Hengst with its 15.8% alcohol (considerably less, granted, than the 2005) and still 26 grams of residual sugar. Asked why he harvested this almost at the end, Humbrecht replied “It was just developing nicely; beautiful botrytis; and it was the first time in the history of the estate when we had the possibility to think ‘let’s maybe try to do selections in the Hengst for once,’ which we also did.” Smoked meat, brown spices, and resinous herbs play the leading roles here right from the start; and the aromatic pungency translates into a voluminous and impressively expansive as well as gripping palate. There’s a certain amount of heat here, but the alcohol also accentuates the wine’s low-toned, bitter herbal and smoky character. And my gums got numb, even with the sizzling intensity of cinnamon stick and ginger in the finish. Whether this will ever refine itself I won’t speculate, but if you cellar it do so warily.
”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
robert_parker
2005
Rating:
92
–92
The 2005 Gewurztraminer Hengst signals “chalk” even in the nose, along with oriental and brown spices and an almost Chartreuse-like suggestion of herbal and floral distillates. Dense and overtly concentrated yet not massive, sweet (from 38 grams residual sugar) and subtly caramelized, yet transparent to herbal, floral and chalky mineral nuances, it finishes impressively on peaches, quinine, licorice, black tea, lily, brown spices, and chalk dust. This formidable Gewurztraminer possesses an underlying firmness – not to mention its youthful complexity – that augers well for 12-15 years in the cellar.
Olivier Humbrecht compares his 2004s with 1992. These were the two most copious vintages of recent times, delivering truly dry wines with quite high acidity. Although he characterized 2004 as more precocious than 2005, Humbrecht kept harvesting through early November, insisting that this was only possible due to his stringent, biodynamic viticultural practices and consequent generally healthy fruit. Humbrecht insists too that he did not seek botrytis, as rain was rendering noble rot nearly impossible. But it certainly seems sometimes as if botrytis sought out him! One price for his protracted harvest was elevated alcohol, which some wines struck me as hard-pressed to gracefully support; and acid levels too occasionally reached extremes. Overall, in fact, I have never tasted such a wide rage of quality nor so many unusually distinctive and at times downright inscrutable wines at this address as those of 2004. Two thousand five, relates Humbrecht, brought ample botrytis, especially with Pinot Gris, but later ripeness, again with formidable acid and extract levels thanks to the cool, well-watered August. Nearly all of the Riesling musts fermented dry. Humbrecht considers it a classic vintage for (in most instances dry-tasting) Gewurztraminer. And despite the blanket of rot that descended on the Pinot Gris vineyards, a cold, virtually cloudless five day period permitted patient and rigorous selection of fruit. A tribute to the ripeness and high tartaric acidity of these 2005s is that although well more than half of his lots of Riesling and Pinot Gris underwent malolactic transformation, an experienced taster would be hard-pressed to identify which! “Had we had the challenging October of 2004 in 2005 as well,” he says, “most ‘04s would be better than the ‘05s.” But as things turned out – October 2005 having been the second warmest after 2001 in the last decade – Humbrecht believes that in the long run these two collections will prove well matched in overall quality.
Importer: The Sorting Table, Napa, CA; tel. (415) 491-4724
robert_parker
2004
Rating:
88
–88
“Finishing dry” in the case of Humbrecht’s 2004 Gewurztraminer Hengst meant four grams and 16.2% alcohol. This wine – consisting exclusively of fruit from the Humbrechts’ old vines in the site – positively smells of brine and chalk, along with smoked meats, celery seed and roses. Almost austere in the mouth, firm and chalky, voluminous and powerful to be sure, yet possessed of quite bright acids and amazingly betraying little heat, it finishes with broad, low-toned meatiness and minerality. Humbrecht picks it to be a twenty year wine. I’ve witnessed a few such wines becoming more refined with time while keeping their high alcohol at bay. But I would not lay odds.
Olivier Humbrecht compares his 2004s with 1992. These were the two most copious vintages of recent times, delivering truly dry wines with quite high acidity. Although he characterized 2004 as more precocious than 2005, Humbrecht kept harvesting through early November, insisting that this was only possible due to his stringent, biodynamic viticultural practices and consequent generally healthy fruit. Humbrecht insists too that he did not seek botrytis, as rain was rendering noble rot nearly impossible. But it certainly seems sometimes as if botrytis sought out him! One price for his protracted harvest was elevated alcohol, which some wines struck me as hard-pressed to gracefully support; and acid levels too occasionally reached extremes. Overall, in fact, I have never tasted such a wide rage of quality nor so many unusually distinctive and at times downright inscrutable wines at this address as those of 2004. Two thousand five, relates Humbrecht, brought ample botrytis, especially with Pinot Gris, but later ripeness, again with formidable acid and extract levels thanks to the cool, well-watered August. Nearly all of the Riesling musts fermented dry. Humbrecht considers it a classic vintage for (in most instances dry-tasting) Gewurztraminer. And despite the blanket of rot that descended on the Pinot Gris vineyards, a cold, virtually cloudless five day period permitted patient and rigorous selection of fruit. A tribute to the ripeness and high tartaric acidity of these 2005s is that although well more than half of his lots of Riesling and Pinot Gris underwent malolactic transformation, an experienced taster would be hard-pressed to identify which! “Had we had the challenging October of 2004 in 2005 as well,” he says, “most ‘04s would be better than the ‘05s.” But as things turned out – October 2005 having been the second warmest after 2001 in the last decade – Humbrecht believes that in the long run these two collections will prove well matched in overall quality.
Importer: The Sorting Table, Napa, CA; tel. (415) 491-4724
robert_parker
2001
Rating:
91
–91
The sensual, lush 2001 Gewurztraminer Hengst (indice 2) is medium-bodied, silky-textured, and well-balanced. Poached pears, spices, minerals, and apples are found in this effort’s aromatic and flavor profiles. It should be consumed over the next 6-7 ears.
In response to requests from consumers for more information as to the character of his non-Vendange Tardive or Selection de Grains Nobles wines. Olivier Humbrecht has devoloped an "indice" scale which appears on the label of each bottle. This indice ranks from 1 to 5 the perceptible sweetness of the wines, and Humbrecht describes it as follows: "1 is totally dry; 2 is not technically dry but the sweetness is not apparent on the palate; 3 is medium sweetness that may gradually disappear with aging; 4 is sweet wine; 5 is for high sweetness, a Vendange Tardive in richness but without botrytis." Humbrecht is to be commended for instituting this system as it will immensely aid consumers.
Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524
robert_parker
2000
Rating:
93
–93
Medium to full-bodied and dense, the 2000 Gewurztraminer Hengst is a broad, ample wine with loads of richness. It reveals spiced pear, mineral, and candied apple aromas as well as flavors. Opulently-textured, it should be consumed between 2003 and 2013.
Olivier Humbrecht describes 2000 as "a year of excellent ripeness where the key to success was sorting out the bad rot prior to harvesting." To accomplish this, Humbrecht sent out teams to go through every parcel, dropping whatever bunches had been infected with sour rot. Domaine Zind-Humbrecht's harvest lasted 6 weeks, with one-fourth being accomplished between September 19 and October 5th, and the remaining three-fourths picked by October 31st.
Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524
robert_parker
1999
Rating:
92
–92
The talcum powder, flower, and spice-scented 1999 Gewurztraminer Hengst has a delightful satin-textured character. Medium-bodied and fresh, it regales the taster's palate with roses, violets, and hints of white fruits. This delineated and detailed wine should be consumed over the next 7-8 years.
Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524
robert_parker
1998
Rating:
94
–94
The magnificent, rose and lychee-scented 1998 Gewurztraminer Hengst is full-bodied and oily-textured. Thick, yet fresh, detailed, and polished, it is packed with lychee nuts. The wine's high level of alcohol (15.9%) slightly shows through the dense fruit, but its extroverted, focused, and fruit-dominated personality more than makes up for it. Projected maturity: 2002-2012.
Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel (510) 524-1524.
robert_parker
1997
Rating:
95
–95
The Humbrechts believe 1997 is the greatest Gewurztraminer vintage since 1990, with the possible exception of 1994. Readers who crave ostentatious Gewurztraminers will flip for Zind-Humbrecht's flamboyant 1997s.
The extraordinarily floral and honeyed aromatics of the medium-to-full-bodied 1997 Gewurztraminer Hengst lead to an impeccably balanced character. Broad waves of minerals, pears, and candied apples drenched in lychee juice are found in its super-expressive core. This velvety-textured wine should be consumed between 2000 and 2006. Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel (510) 524-1524.
robert_parker
1996
Rating:
91
–91
The light gold-colored 1996 Gewurztraminer Hengst was made from 20 hectoliters per hectare, achieved 14.5% natural alcohol, and was bottled with 1.2% residual sugar. While it tasted somewhat closed, it will make a spectacular Gewurztraminer for those willing to wait 1-2 years. It offers a rose water, intensely spicy, pineapple/grapefruit-scented nose, followed by powerful, thick, juicy flavors, and a large-scaled, massive, off-dry finish. It should last for 10-15 years.
I have tasted many of Alsace's finest producers' 1996s, and it is a tricky vintage. The most consistent level of high quality I tasted was no surprise - it originated from the wines of Zind-Humbrecht. When I met with Olivier Humbrecht, he said the summer was normal until the end of July, but August was cool, and September even cooler, but dry. The hallmark of the grapes in September was the extremely high level of acidity that remained, even by the end of September. At Zind-Humbrecht, the harvest occurred in October, under Indian Summer-like conditions. The grapes were healthy, the acid levels high, and there was little evidence of botrytis. Consequently, little sweet wine was produced. Olivier Humbrecht stated that yields in 1996 were huge throughout Alsace, averaging between 82-100 hectoliters per hectare. At Zind-Humbrecht, yields for their estate wines averaged 31 hectoliters per hectare. As I have written time and time again, there is no secret to great wines ... low yields.
All of Zind-Humbrecht's 1996 wines were highly successful with alcohol levels well below 1994, or such great vintages as 1989 and 1990. In general, the alcohol levels range between 11.5% and 13.6%. The wines are characterized by higher than normal acidity levels, which should serve them well as they age. They give the impression of being drier wines than normal, perhaps due to their higher acidity, which tends to effectively buffer/counterbalance any impression of residual sweetness.
I tried to think of another Zind-Humbrecht vintage with similar characteristics, but I was unable to find a legitimate comparison. The wines possess lively acidity, good aromatics, and are long in the mouth, but they are more delicate than some of the blockbuster, powerful vintages previously produced at Z-H (i.e., 1994, 1990, and 1989). The 1996s may turn out to be long agers, but my philosophy, for myself and readers, is that if you like the way a wine tastes young, you should not hesitate to drink it. Remember - no one has ever blundered by drinking a delicious wine too soon. However, opening a bottle of wine after its aromatics and fruit have faded is indeed a sorrowful experience!
Domaine Zind-Humbrecht's wines are imported by Wine Markets International, Woodbury, NY; tel. (516) 364-1850 and Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel (510) 524-1524
robert_parker
1995
Rating:
90
–90
Four of the finest Gewurztraminers of the vintage are the 1995 Hengst, 1995 Clos Windsbuhl, 1995 Heimbourg, and 1995 Rangen Clos St.-Urbain. The 1995 Gewurztraminer Hengst exhibits a light golden color, followed by butterscotch-like, honeyed-orange aromatics, sweet/sour-like flavors, high extract, a dry, full-bodied personality, and considerable alcoholic clout. It is a forceful, powerful, impressively built wine for drinking over the next 7-8 years. After tasting through all the top Alsatian estates, it was obvious that Gewurztraminer was less consistent than Pinot Gris or Riesling. As several producers told me, the uneven crop set, which seemed to afflict Gewurztraminer more than other varietals, led to a smaller production, as well as uneven ripening. As Olivier Humbrecht stated, he had to be extremely careful with Gewurztraminer because it is a varietal that requires a considerable amount of heat to reach physiological ripeness, and September was an extremely cold month in Alsace. Many producers picked too early, fearing the grapes would rot. As it turned out, October was a splendid month weather-wise, and those who waited produced better Gewurztraminer. Nevertheless, I did not taste any profoundly great 1995 Gewurztraminer equaling the quality of the top 1994s, 1990s, or 1989s.
The Zind-Humbrecht 1995s possess approximately 10% higher acidity than the crisp, high acid 1994s, largely because September was a very cool month. There was no need to chaptalize any of the ZH wines, and extremely long fermentations resulted in high alcohol.
The reviews in this segment are from a memorable tasting held in April, 1997.
Importers: Wine Markets International, Woodbury, NY; tel. (516) 364-1850, and Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel (510) 524-1524
robert_parker
1993
Rating:
94
–94
There is no evidence of botrytis in the full-bodied, intense, awesomely concentrated 1993 Gewurztraminer Hengst. It offers scents of minerals, roses, and tropical fruits, followed by great precision in the layers of flavor that cascade across the palate. This wine delivers a mouthfilling, decadent style of dry, frightfully rich and intense Gewurztraminer. It should last for 15+ years. Wow!
Zind-Humbrecht's Gewurztraminers are all light to medium gold-colored, with various degrees of botrytis in evidence. All were fermented totally dry. These are flamboyant, bold, alcoholic (ranging from 13.5% to 15%) wines that are sure to provide a delicious wake-up call to anyone who may be falling asleep at the table.
The 1992 and 1993 wines reviewed in this issue are the wines of a genius.
Importers: Wine Markets International, Inc., Woodbury, NY; tel. (516) 364-1850, and Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 525-1524
robert_parker
1992
Rating:
92
–92
The Gewurztraminer Hengst combines elegance (a word not often applied to Gewurztraminer) with considerable power and richness. There is an exotic side to its mineral and cold steel-scented bouquet, fine underlying acidity, rich, full-bodied, dry flavors, and a superb finish.
A wine enthusiast's first exposure to a great Gewurztraminer seems to elicit one of two reactions - revulsion or admiration. Because of its intensely-perfumed, flamboyant bouquet of rose petals, lychee nuts, and super-ripe pineapples, it will never impress those looking for understatement and subtlety. However, I am unequivocally in the corner of this controversial wine, as I find it to be remarkably flexible with food. Moreover, its longevity exceeds most dry white wines produced in nearby Burgundy. As my notes attest, Zind-Humbrecht does a spectacular job with Gewurztraminer.
The wines of Zind-Humbrecht are imported by Wine Markets International (Mitchell Nathanson), Woodbury, NY and by Kermit Lynch Wine Merchants, Berkeley, CA.
robert_parker
1991
Rating:
93
–93
The Gewurztraminers are stunning in 1991. The 1991 Gewurztraminer Hengst displays evidence of botrytis. It also shares the unctuousness and richness of the other Zind-Humbrecht 1991 Gewurztraminers. It is spectacular, with full-bodied flavors, and a perfumed, intense aroma. It will keep easily for a decade.
As extraordinary as the 1989 and 1990 Zind-Humbrecht wines are, the 1991s, largely because of the difficulties presented by the vintage, are even more amazing. Readers must keep in mind that for the top Alsatian producers the situation is much like that in Burgundy - only tiny quantities of wine available. Between 50 and 150 cases of each wine is the entire allocation for the American market. I do not ever remember a producer in a so-so year making such magnificent wines! Bravo to Olivier and Leonard Humbrecht!
Zind-Humbrecht wines are imported by Wine Markets International, Syosset, NY and Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA.
