2006 Riesling Brand Vieilles Vignes Vendanges Tardives

"In 2006, nature made you pay big-time for mistakes you made in the vineyard," said Olivier Humbrecht at the start of my marathon tasting here, "but in 2007 nature was very forgiving: every grape in its own way had exactly what it needed to perform properly." Cool weather in August was good for riesling and pinot gris, he said. And without a period of serious heat in September of '07, the weather was more appropriate to riesling than 2005 had been, he went on, noting that in 2005 there had actually been some hydric stress in the riesling vines during three warm, dry weeks in September. Finally, the 2007 gewurztraminer derived special benefit from a warm-up at the end of September and beginning of October. Even in a year in which some growers complained that it was difficult to make much in the way of botrytis wines, Humbrecht has an epic range of SGNs in the works (a couple were still fermenting in large casks in September). But then that should come as no surprise to long-time followers of this exceptional estate. Humbrecht showed me virtually his full range of 2006 rieslings, but cherry-picked his gewurztraminers, as the basic bottlings in particular interested him less and the hour was getting late. (The Sorting Table, Napa, CA) Also recommended: 2007 Chardonnay Clos Windsbuhl (85), 2006 Riesling (85), 2006 Pinot Gris Calcaire (86), 2006 Gewurztraminer (85). Other wines tasted: 2006 Pinot Gris.