2008 Zind-Humbrecht Gewurztraminer Herrenweg de Turckheim Sélection de Grains Nobles Vieilles Vignes

Community Tasting Notes (4) Avg Score: 93.6 points

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  12/12/2014 - nskelsey wrote: 91 Points

  Before the 2008 the last time this wine was made was in 1986 and according to the winemakers at Zind-Humbrecht was not a great success. This time around they claim, "The special ripening season in late 2008 allowed for some spectacular noble rot development in this vineyard. In fact, we didn’t have to select berries or even clusters. This was a whole harvest! Almost 75% of the grapes were fully concentrated by botrytis and the wine became one of the easiest to harvest SGN that I ever had the chance to do". Interesting, because if you had tasted this blind botrytis is not really evident, certainly not in the same way as one finds with Sauternes. The wine has a very aromatic, perfumed profile and on the palate is very sweet, creamy, unctuous with notes of tropical fruit and marzipan. What this wine doesn't really have is elegance and is in need of some citrus, acidic input to cut through the sweet denseness. There is an enormous flavour profile, but it is all stirred up together and so whilst impressive it lacks the flair of a truly great bottle. This has an enormously long life ahead of it, but I'm not too sure if its opaqueness will ever open out. This is still an excellent wine and well worth trying, but I have had Grand Crus from Weinbach and Zind-Humbrecht that surpass it and at a reasonable saving too. Estimated maturity: 2014-2030+

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  10/24/2014 - JeffGMorris wrote: 96 Points

  Dinner at David Rayer's house. Orange in color. Very spicy palate with the Herrenweg typicity of some roughness. Roses. Very rich & sweet but well balanced with acidity. Extremely young but drinking well. Give this 20 years. 50+14+14+9+9=96

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  10/21/2012 - Poggio Al vento wrote: 94 Points

  Again Zind amazes with a sweetwine- A load of exotic fruits on the nose like pineapple, passion-fruit and papaya and a hint of floral also leading on to the palet which is elegant and nicely balanced by a great acidity. A really complex wine and drinking really nicely know.

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  7/20/2012 - peterchoy wrote: 93 Points

  Appearance: Bright and clear, medium gold in color, with paler, watery rims and legs
  Nose: Clean, medium (+) intensity and developing aromas of lychee, orange marmalade, honeysuckle, raisin, apricot, honey, cinnamon and botrytis.
  Palate: Sweet, with medium acidity, this wine is of medium alcohol and full bodied, with medium (+) intensity flavors of honey, apricot, orange peel, lychee, botrytis and cinnamon, finishing with a medium (+) length.
  Conclusion: Very good quality Alsace SGN Gewurztraminer with a very complex and intense nose, with good lychee notes highlighting the variety typicity. Sweet but not cloying, balancing well with acidity and body, with an intense palate showing also complex characters. Finishing with a long length, this wine is highly enjoyable though maybe too early to consume, with a long of potential to further develop into more interesting style. Ready to drink now though can benefit from further ageing of another 10-15 years.

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