Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Zind

In 1989, 2 years after acquiring the Clos Windbuhl, we decided to plant Auxerrois and Chardonnay in the coolest part of the Clos, the closest to the forest. These two grape varieties were always blended together but in 2001 we were forced to release the wine as Zind ‘Vin de France’ because the chardonnay grape isn’t permitted in the AOC Alsace wine (only crémant d’Alsace). The muschelkalk limestone soil of the Clos Windsbuhl always brings a fantastic structure to this wine and quite an amazing longevity for the people with enough patience. The higher acidity commands long fermentation, but the wine finishes dry after a long aging on the full lees Tasting notes: Pale yellow colour. Expressive and intensely mineral nose, already very developed and showing crisp citrus fruit aromas, mandarin skins, almost lightly exotic but with a firm presence of rock influence (wet stones, some flint). The texture on the palate combines power and crisp acidity. The mouthfeel is really beautiful, develops into a silky structure, which eventually finishes with a tight, dry and precise finish. The very low yield in 2021 explain this rare combination of intensity and elegance without needing to reach high ripeness levels. A Zind that shows the potential of the Windsbuhl and will improve greatly with time.