Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Grnd Cru Rangen de Thann Clos St-Urbain 2021

100 points Stuart Pigott (JamesSuckling.com): "This vision of pinot gris perfection creeps up to you on tip toe. Wonderful quince fruit and smokiness on the rather closed nose, followed by the impeccably balanced and delightful front palate. Then the hammer falls and the overwhelming crushed rock minerality hits you like a landslide that sweeps everything away. And somehow all this feels as weightless as a cloud! From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. (4/4/23)"

97 points/'Le Coup de Coeur,' La Revue du Vin de France: "The three Rangen wines evolve in a dimension of their own, driven by the telluric force of the terroir: ...the pinot gris is all tension and sparkle, refined and endowed with an almost tannic structure and flavors of fresh quince. (2024)"

Producer notes: "The Clos-Saint-Urbain is located all around the little Chapel Saint-Urbain, godfather of the winegrowers in France. This part of the Rangen was the one that my father preferred when he started to buy vineyard in this Grand Cru. Only the Clos is directly above the river Thur which brings a particular micro-climate. The soil is made of compressed old volcanic ash (grauwackes) that have the capacity to release impressive levels of minerals in the soil and eventually in the wines. The Rangen wines always have the highest level of ash content! In 2021, the Rangen was a privileged vineyard as it suffered less from the climatic problems of the vintage, especially spring frost. The grapes were in perfect conditions and the wine fermented fully dry. Tasting Note: Intense bright yellow color. The nose is still tight, showing the typical gunflint, peat and smoky character of that volcanic hillside. It is difficult to guess on nose the intensity and power of this wine which is eventually revealed on the palate. The power is not alcohol-driven, it is the vineyard itself that make this wine taste so intensely. The mouth shows a strong character and originality. It has a beautiful velvety mouthfeel supported by a lively bright acidity. It does last a long time on the finish, revealing the saltiness of the minerals of the volcanic geology, increasing the density of the wine, but with such an elegant and bright structure. There is so much freshness in this wine and it will age extremely well! Alcohol 13.6%."