Zind-Humbrecht’s Pinot Gris Clos Saint Urbain Rangen de Thann 1983-2013

While Zind-Humbrecht’s Rieslings and Gewürztraminers from the estate’s prime Clos Saint Urbain parcel within the Grand Cru Rangen frequently number among Alsace’s top bottlings, it is their Pinot Gris that reaches the greatest heights of winedom. In my view, the family’s Pinot Gris Rangen de Thann Clos Saint Urbain is the world’s greatest dry Pinot Gris.

Domaine Zind-Humbrecht is one of the world’s most famous white wine estates, producing a bevy of world-class bottlings that have very few peers in their respective categories. The Humbrecht family owns 40 hectares distributed among five Grand Crus and several other sites, but even their non-Grand Cru holdings, such as the Clos Windsbuhl, are among the best vineyards of Alsace. The most important of their vineyard holdings is their 5.5 hectares walled monopole Clos Saint Urbain within the Grand Cru Rangen. The Clos takes its name from the small 15th century chapel located in the middle of the vineyard, which is dedicated to Saint Urbain, saint patron of vine-growers. Léonard Humbrecht, who married Geneviève Zind and founded the Zind-Humbrecht estate in 1959, bought the first 3.5 hectares in 1977 (the oldest vines in the Clos were planted in 1963), then added another two hectares between 1978 and 1986.

As is often the case in Alsace, where Grand Crus tend to be (too) large and multiple grape varieties are grown within their boundaries, Zind-Humbrecht farms Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Gris in the Clos Saint Urbain. While their Rieslings and Gewürzes are frequently exceptional, it is the estate’s Pinot Gris that remains unequalled elsewhere.

View of the Rangen and the Saint-Theobald chapel

The Long History of Rangen