TNs--Mike on Tour-67 wines--Z-H, Gassmann, Gruss, Bott-Geyl

With my friends Lynn, Jon and Mike in tow, today was tasting day.

ZIND-HUMBRECHT

They date back to 1658, they combined the estates in 1959. 40 hectares Frederique is in charge of sales for France and she made our visit very special. They’ve been bio since 2002—sulphur only. We look out at Herrenweg de Turckheim. They stretch, though, from Ribeauville to 40 km south of Colmar. They had frost in Herrenweg this year and Frederique shows us the very sad sight of dead vines.

2015 Zind-Humbrecht Muscat Goldert

13.5%, 90% Muscat D’Alsace, 10% Muscat Ottonel. This has 6.9g of residual sugar and is an index 1. Young but fresh and muskiness, orange pith, a tinge of sweet grapefruit. Already have here a roundness and purity of orange, with juicy bite at the back.

2015 Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Herrenweg de Turckheim.

With some swirling, touch of smoky, baked apple. Very precise, with lemon-edged apple. Finishes quick and dry and precise.

2015 Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Heimbourg

Apples, some slate/mineral. Tingly and very young to taste. Limestone soil

2015 Zind-Humbrecht Brand Riesling

Avg 50-55 year vines. This is already singing—marvelous pear, lychee, melon, apple. Lovely, long, with expressive flowers apple and pear. Yum, probably #6 today.

2014 Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Rangen den Thann Clos St. Urbain

Great Riesling vintage, Frederique says, but awful for Gewurtz. Can smell the structure, lightly honeyed apple. Dans la bouche, apple again, some lemon and minerality, long length.

2015 Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Roche Volcanique

Made from the youngest parcels of vines in Rangen (BTW “Clos St. Urbain” isn’t a subplot in Rangen, it refers to the monastery and is all one name.) Quickly expressive in the schnozz. All the flavours of PG—pear, honeysuckle, bit of marzipan, but very quick and collected.

2015 Zind Humbrecht Pinot Gris Clos St. Urbain Rangen den Thann

Index 3 for them. More of everything here, musky, pear, poached peaches. On the beam, this is liquid sunshine. Some lingering mineral and smoky honey.

2015 Zind-Humbrecht Gewurtz Hengst

With swirling, some pure gingerbread and honeycake emerge. This is an index 4 on the sweetness scale and very pure—lychee and a little bit of apricot

2015 Zind-Humbrecht Gewurtz Clos Windsbuhl

Kumquat and maybe even dragon fruit here. More floral—lilac for sure. Index 5. Simply fantastic, mouthcoating, sweet, lilting cornucopia of fruit with acidity and forever length. Very special, slimly WOTD and 1 bottle bought.

2005 Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Clos Windsbuhl VT

Peach cobbler, star fruit, pie notes. It has its Gewurtz cousin’s attributes, just more concentrated, honeyed fruit and very addictive.

ROLLY GASSMANN

The server was very helpful and this truly is a place like no other. You can taste everything if you want, but I put the brakes on and limited things to 26 (!) wines for us.

They have 50 hectares and run out 200,000 bottles a year.

2014 Rolly Gassmann Pinot Blanc

Younger vines. Slight perfume and nips of pear. Tasty, prickly but fresh. Garden herbs with sweetish lemon

2003 Rolly Gassmann Pinot Blanc

Vanilla and nougat notes waft up the glass and accent pear. Much sweeter—rather like their 07 SGN but a more VT style. White grape, ginger and a touch of coconut

2013 Rolly Gassmann Auxerrois Moenchreben de Rorschwihr

Bit closed, but eventually floral and apple strudel emerge a little. This too has a sweetness and lilty quality, with potpourri and honecomb. Kiwi a bit

2013 Rolly Gassman Rotleibel de Rorschwihr Auxerrois

It was fun to taste these, as Auxerrois doesn’t get the chance to pass my lips that often. Even less aromatically here, but it’s also fresher, a bit drawn back on the sweetness. Cantaloupe

2003 Rolly Gassmann Rotleibel de Rorschwihr Auxerrois

Full-of-honey nasal highlights. Tasty, on the sugared candy side. Length at the back with some quince.

2015 Rolly Gassmann de Rorschwihr Pinot Noir

Fairly light cherry notes, perhaps watermelon. Lynn and I both get red pepper, kind of thin on finish with red berry. Not much here.

2003 Rolly Gassmann de Rorschwihr Pinot Noir

Reflects the warm vintage, tomato eaf, some stewed fruit. More grip and depth—but to what? Lynn and Jon get a strange pork and sauerkraut thing. For me, just not cheery at all

2011 Rolly Gassmann Pinot Noir Rodern

Some gamy/meaty cinnamon and black cherry come up the sniffer. Again, missing fruit and somewhat thin, but interesting with spiced and grilled aspect.

2011 Rolly Gassmann Riesling Pflaenzerreben de Rorschwihr

Rose petal and honey, pommes—apple crumble bouquet. Not bad at all, plenty of carry, tangy citrus and nectarine. I like this.

2012 Rolly Gassmann Muscat Moenchreben de Rorschwihr

More mineral some asparagus. Juicy, and the signature muscat muskiness.

2003 Rolly Gassmann Muscat Moenchreben de Rorschwihr VT

Raw apricot, star fruit, some Christmascake—very interesting scents. Oh-so-sweet—dragon fruit and melon. No acidity here, but not cloying either.

2003 Rolly Gassmann Muscat Moenchreben de Rorschwihr SGN

Grand marnier bouquet. Orange creamsicle. Choo-choo of orange sweetness dans la bouche. Depth and purity here is exceptional—like eating a tangerine ice cream cone

2011 Rolly Gassmann Pinot Gris Rotleibel de Rorschwihr

Smoky right at outset and, for all it’s stainless, there are nutty wood notes. Good and forthright palate, perfume and poached pear

2010 Rolly Gassmann Pinot Gris Brandhurst de Bergheim

Fine, fine nutmeg and nocci and coffee crisp sniffs. To taste, very good here—a ‘sure’ profile of aromatic replays with hibiscus and a nice saltwater taffee end note. A sneaky complexity. #9 today?

2007 Rolly Gassmann Pinot Gris Reserve

From a 2-parcel lot. More toffee, pear and flowers. An interesting cream cheesecake note to the buttered peach and pear on the tongue. Real pear on the breathe-back

2007 Rolly Gassmann Pinot Gris Rotleibel de Rorschwihr VT

Step up in intensity on the above. More power and stays with you—impacts more at the back of the tongue and front of the throat, where the reserve did its work at the front and middle

2000 Rolly Gassmann Pinot Gris de Rorschwihr VT

A complexity of baking spices, pear, graham cracker aromatics. One of the best VTs I’ve tried, like a lapsang souchong revolves around the still-tangy orange and pear. Excellent and #4 today.

2003 Rolly Gassmann Pinot Gris SGN

Jon is good—he gets a Drambuie whisky note. Dense wine—honey and pear and drenched apple.

2003 Rolly Gassmann Pinot Gris de Rorschwihr SGN

Pear and smoky apple medley. Again, just-bridled heaviness with nougat and vanilla ice cream around pear

2015 Rolly Gassmann Gewurtz de Rorschwihr

Lychee is there, some floral for sure on the nose. Very pure lychee in the mouth. Good

2015 Rolly Gassmann Gewurtz Stegreben de Rorschwihr

I’m reminded of a sorbet or coulee idea, though hard to pick off the exact fruit. More a sense. Le gout is some grapey/raisin, but it’s buttressed by anise and herb notes.

2012 Rolly Gassmann Gewurtz Kappelweg de Rorschwihr

Even more perfumed—lilac, hibiscus. This still has some growing to do, bit of heat at the end, lychee and pear

2011 Rolly Gassmann Gewurtz Altenberg de Bergheim

Great stuff in the nuzzie, tangerine and apricot and fig pie. Sweet, but in the right way, curls all around the mouth. A very pure example with pear, passionfruit and kiwi

2005 Rolly Gassmann Gewurtz Oberer Weingarten de Rorschwihr VT

More evolved with dried yellow fruit. We get some pink grapefruit cocktail to taste, but also pomegranate for me. Interesting

1994 Rolly Gassmann Oberer Weingarten de Rorschwihr Gewurtz SGN

Complete wine. It has begun to move to tertiary nutty aspects but has plenty of other hidden treasure to scent. And this—the sugar has been completely absorbed and it is now nothing more complicated than a beautiful and stunning yellow and tropical fruit wine. #2 today. Truly memorable

1989 Rolly Gassmann Gewurtz Stegreben de Rorschwihr SGN

So expressive in the aromatics after almost 30 years! Florals, roasted sweet herbs surround papaya and kiwi. Settled on the palate, very pleasant drinking, has all the refinement but is maybe just downhill from the mesmerizing stage.

DOMAINE GRUSS

We had stopped in here on the advice of Christine Jacob of Lucien Jacob in Burgundy and were met by the effervescent and multi-lingual Nina—Lynn was delighted to break out her German! Nina was a terrific hostess, showing us around the winemaking facility and quickly introducing her winemaker husband

Domaine Gruss Cremant D’Alsace Rose

100% PN. Bright strawberry and raspberry. Super-sparkly, very active mousse. Raspberry and some interesting chickoree. 15-18 months in oak.

Domaine Gruss Cremant D’Alsace Brut

80% PB, 20% Ries for this. Some apple and bread. It is also sharp and active with lemon and mineral

Domaine Gruss Cremant D’Alsace Brut Prestige

60% PB and 40% Chard for this. 24 months in oak. Fresh watered stones and a bit more bread. Creams up very nice, with fine apple and a bit of nettle. Good comportment here.

2016 Domaine Gruss Sylvaner Vieilles Vignes

I learned that, contrary to what I thought, Sylvaner is its own indigenous variety. He also told me that Alsace has received a designation for the first Sylvaner Grand Cru, in Zotzenberg. It will hopefully help to elevate this grape back to more than respectability. Here, fragrant, lime but gentle. Good carry and body and faithful aromatic replication. Decent

2015 Domaine Gruss Pinot Blanc Clos St. Etienne

Lighter, flowery aroma. This has surprising approach and tons of perfume, maybe a distracting amount for now.

2016 Domaine Gruss Muscat D’Alsace Ottonel.

They’re about 60/40 Ottonel and Alsace for their muscat. The muskiness shows out dans le nez. Plenty of it hiding some pear. That’s also faithful to its aromatics on the tongue, with musk and orange and some length

2016 Domaine Gruss Riesling Vieilles Vignes

Over 40 year vines, limestone and marl with southeast exposure. Mineral and some pine nut bouquet here. A certain juiciness, yes, but searching for identity.

2015 Domaine Gruss Riesling Eichberg

I haven’t had anything from this Grand Cru before. More of a cream-and-stones sense, definitely a step up in refinement. A lot of length, more sure in its apple, crabapple and gingerbread exposition. Sandstone and marl soils here too.

2015 Domaine Gruss Pinot Noir Eguisheim

Bright red fruit, much nicer than the Rolly Gassmann, must say. Happier red fruit in the mouth

2015 Domaine Gruss Grand V Pinot Noir

This is the only wine that is actively oaked right now (along with the Chard used for the Cremant), in Billot barrels and 15% new. Slightly darker fruit to scent, adding plum. This has carry and interesting slightly bitter-and-cranberry mix. From Vorbourg

2015 Domaine Gruss Pinot Gris Casse-Noisette

Just a touch of oak on this too. A li’l butterscotch. Can tell it’s there, but it works with the pear and melon on palate.

2014 Domaine Gruss Pinot Gris Eichberg

Subtle aroma—pear with quince. This is only a little sweet—has a simple kind of radiance. Pear and possibly grapefruit. #8 today

2014 Domaine Gruss Pinot Gris Vorbourg

A fine, nougat and slightly salty noted aroma. More complicated to taste, but it still has carry and length with sweet ksses of yellow and whit fruit.

2016 Domaine Gruss Gewurtz Les Roches

Good floral and some stoniness in bouquet. Goes down easy, somewhat simple

2014 Domaine Gruss Gewurtz Vorbourg

Very persistent on nose and mouth, vanilla-cream, peach and pear with tingly after. Plenty of wine to discover here with some time in bottle.

2015 Domaine Gruss Gewurtz VT

Quite OK—grapey and lemon candy. A trace of ginger ale. Very lush and sweet. Up-front blast of Gewurtz flavour.

2011 Domaine Gruss Pinot Gris SGN

From the Frohnenberg vineyard. Botrytis is present here—along with tinges of apricot and sweet nut. Concentrated, plenty of baking spice and some real cumin flavour. Tasty in the extreme.

DOMAINE BOTT-GEYL

A target of mine from the outset of the trip planning, as I have liked-to-loved the product from this vigneron. We were helped at first by Helene and later, I believe the owner/winemaker’s wife took over. She was simply wonderful, with a very fine wit and plenty of smiles and laughter—reminded me so much of my cousin Muguette! They have 15 hectares and run out 80,000 bottles a year. They’ve been organic since 2000 and biodynamic since 2002. Most of their stuff is from vineyards fairly close by to their base in Beblenheim.

2014 Domaine Bott-Geyl Points Cardinaux Metiss

As the name suggests, it’s a Deiss-like combo of grapes, 30% PB, 30% Pinot Auxerrois, 20% PG and 20% PN. Touches of red fruit and Christmascake around pear and apple. Very round and quaffable with nip of gingery finish—not sharp, just in taste. Very small cinnamon heart too.

2015 Domaine Bott-Geyl Riesling “Les Elements”

I learned that it’s meant for “elemental”—as in an expression of the fundamentals of Alsace. Bit of stinky/funky cheesy notes, but apples underneath. “Sparkles” a little, it’s better in taste

2012 Domaine Bott-Geyl Pinot Noir Galets Oligocene

18 months in 2-3 yr oak barrels. Delicate—chestnut and boysenberry hints. Delicate and pretty to taste too, floral with some light berry and cinnamon at the back. A little bit of black tea too. This will never knock out a Burgundy, but there’s beaucoups de choses and it is clearly the best pinot I’ve had in Alsace.

2012 Domaine Bott-Geyl Rose D’Alsace Jules Geyl

Play on the PN, brighter of course. Raspberry, crabapple with freshness

2012 Bott-Geyl Riesling Grafenreben

She confirmed something Frederique at Z-H had mentioned, that there’s a movement afoot to classify “1er crus” in Alsace, and this would be one of those. Apple cinnamon roll is what wafts up the glass. On palate, mmm, that’s very good. Quite restrained, power but elegance and stays with you with apple and quince.

2012 Domaine Bott-Geyl Riesling Schlossberg

They have less than 2 hectares here and get 35 hectolitres per hectare. Ahhh. Smell the rocks, like you’re right in the quarry. Tinge of lingonberry and white tea around granny smith apple. As good as the 2010—a little riper, but all, all good. The presence…you can’t stop tasting it. Wow. #5 today.

2013 Domaine Bott-Geyl Riesling Schoenenbourg

Vines are 40-45 yrs. Gypsum soil. A perfumed aerie. Stick your nose in and don’t take it out for a bit. To taste, a bit of restraint too—almost halfway between the Schlossberg and their 12 version of this. Apple and nectarine and lemon. Lovely. #7

2012 Domaine Bott-Geyl Riesling Mandelberg

Calcite soil. Almost Christmas store—it definitely takes you someplace. Peach and gingerbread and the holiday baking. The most elegant so far. She says “discreet”, and that’s a good word. Slithers down the throat so nice with replays adorned by light fruit. #10 today, but this could rise much higher with some bottle age.

2006 Domaine Bott-Geyl Pinot Gris Furstentum

Toasty—crème caramel, even though no oak. Kind of distracting on the palate, buttered toast and some cream, this is not convincing for me—may be the vintage

2008 Domaine Bott-Geyl Gewurtz Furstentum

Lots of baking spice and exotic mango fruit. Evocative. More shapely than some others, but sacrifices some intensity. Nevertheless, plenty going on with replays.

2009 Domaine Bott-Geyl Pinot Gris Sonnenglanz

Apple pie and waffle cone with a lovely caramel touch in the nuzzie. Boy, that is rich. Bouncy sugared pear and white plum.

2008 Domaine Bott-Geyl Gewurtz Sonnenglanz

Lovely, lovely bouquet of very balanced garden of flowers and fruit. “da bomb”. And even more seductive when it hits the tongue. Delectable with quince, mango, orange rind and a lot of joy. Fineness underneath to this that is rare. #3 today and I’d have surely taken a bottle if I couldn’t source it at home. Lynn and Jon—and my friend Mike too—didn’t wait for that but took 2 bottles from the winery.

2010 Domaine Bott-Geyl Pinot Gris Sonnenglanz VT

Just…wow. Absolute explosion in the nostrils of white, yellow and orange fruit, almost sensory overload. The palate can’t equal that nose, but still very fine and long with peach and pear in equal tones. Tied #11

2007 Domaine Bott-Geyl Gewurtz Sonnenglanz SGN

Maple syrup is all over this bad boy. Sultana raisin and poached pear. Thick as next year’s speech to the throne. Like molasses almost, and yet a definite thread of acidity. One fascinating wine—reminds me of a Kracher! Quince and caramel gelato. Mmmm. Tied #11.

This was a ton, even for me–especially with the Alsatian style factored in. But it did give me a terrific look at Alsace.

Mahalo nui loa

Mike

Dammit. So jealous. I can vouch for the Bott-Geyl Sonnenglanz Pinot Gris. I found it at the SAQ in the 08 and 09 vintages. Both bottles were awesome. Edit: I just looked through my collection. I do indeed have a single bottle of Bott-Geyl 09 Sonnenglanz Pinot Gris. I’ll trade it to you for a two-way ticket to Alsace. [wow.gif]

Great notes. We only got to try a couple 15’s at ZH (not released yet) but they do seem really special. Very cool tasting rooms. Frederique led us thru the wines as well. Sounds like you are having a great trip.