
Winegrowing is a passion that has been passed down from father to son in the Humbrecht family since the 17th century. Domaine Zind Humbrecht today comprises of 42 hectares of vines, spread out over an array of different terroirs in the geological patchwork which is the Alsatian wine region and birthplace of our noble grape varieties.
Winegrowers father to son since 1620, the Humbrecht family has cultivated their vines in the great terroirs of Alsace.
Domaine Zind Humbrecht was created in 1959 and after taking over the reins from Léonard and Geneviève Humbrecht in 1989, the Domaine is today run by Olivier and Margaret Humbrecht. Their sons, Pierre Emile joined the Domaine in 2019.
Today owns 42ha of vines present in the Grand Crus of Rangen de Thann (5.5ha), Goldert in Gueberschwihr (0.9ha), Hengst in Wintzenheim (1.4ha), Brand in Turckheim (2.4ha), Sommerberg (0.3ha) and Wineck-Schlossberg (1ha); as well as the terroirs of Rotenberg (1.8ha) and Clos Häuserer (1.2ha) in Wintzenheim; Herrenweg (11.5ha), Clos Jebsal (1.3ha) and Heimbourg (4ha) in Turckheim and the Clos Windsbuhl (5.15ha) in Hunawihr.
The expression of terroir, conveyed through grape varieties of Alsace, is reinforced by cultivating the vines organically and according to biodynamic principles. Ripe, balanced and concentrated grapes enables the elimination of any vinification techniques that would modify the initial harmony of each terroir. Fermentations are very slow, and the wines spend a minimum of 6 months on the total lees. The wines are bottled between 12 and 24 months after the harvest. As respect for the vine and soil life is imperative, the viticultural tasks are carried out by a team of 22 dedicated staff members. The high ratio of vineyard worker to vineyard surface enables an attention to detail and the execution of many of the viticultural tasks manually. In addition, animal traction and the use of their own compost help to reduce the impact of mechanical compaction on the soils. The yield is greatly vintage dependent, and averages around 35hl/ha with an annual production of between 12 000 and 16 000 cases. Since 1992, the Domaine Zind Humbrecht is located at Route de Colmar, Turckheim, in the heart of the Herrenweg vineyard.
The Domaine Zind Humbrecht has often been a forerunner in many aspects of vineyard work and wine-making.
In the vineyard, this was reflected in the return to high planting densities in the 1970s, the implementation of bio-dynamics in 1997, the return of animal traction used for ploughing of the soil in 2005... In the cellar, Léonard Humbrecht was the first winegrower in France to install a sophisticated cooling system in the large oak casks allowing the control of temperatures during fermentation in 1981, to press the entire harvest in whole grapes in 1986, to extend the fermentations over one year at the end of the 80s .... All these points indicate a will to progress in order to obtain a wine that respects its terroir.
Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Heimbourg is made from 100 percent Riesling.
Bright yellow color. The nose expresses an immediate sense of strong mineral and limestone influence. After aeration or decanting, it will show eventually bright citrus, bergamot, spices and an expected slight austerity. It is very expressive today, but it is easy to see that this wine still has much more to show in the future. The mouth is tight, dry, showing a bright acidity and elegant finish.
Review:
What a fascinating peachy, flinty and smoky nose this great dry Riesling has. Power, energy and vitality on the generous palate, but also a profoundly chalky and flinty minerality. Long juicy finish that pulls you back for more. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.
-James Suckling 95 Points
It is hard to imagine with the Lithology range receiving 298 points out of 300 for the three single-vineyard wines, that there could possibly be a wine above them. But there is, and it is our Estate wine. Blended several times very intently by masters of their craft Philippe Melka and Michel Rolland, this is the ultimate expression of our house’s work. Positive, full-bodied, and quite powerful, there’s the expected crème de cassis and blackberry from St. Helena Cabernets, with mineral, herb, subtle tobacco and vanilla, plum skins, and pie crust, purple flowers, forest-conifer notes, and very fine tannic structure. It is a magnificent, and magnificently elegant expression of this house, and when asked recently, Monsieur Rolland stated plainly to me, “oh yes indeed – this is the best one, the best yet…”
Review:
Pure perfection in Cabernet, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Alejandro Bulgheroni is all varietal and comes two-thirds from Oakville with the balance from sites in St. Helena and Rutherford. Aged 20 months in 70% new French oak and put together by Philippe Melka and Michel Rolland, it has an incredibly pure, full-bodied, massive yet weightless style that I suspect couldn’t be achieved anywhere outside of Napa Valley. Cassis, blackberries, leafy herbs, lead pencil shavings, and tobacco leaf are just some of the nuances here, and it’s full-bodied, deep, and concentrated on the palate while maintaining an ethereal, seamless, utterly perfect balance between its fruit, alcohol, tannins, and acidity. As good as it gets, it needs just 2-4 years in the cellar and will evolve gracefully for at least 20-25 years.
-Jeb Dunnuck 100 Points
Each year, Sea Smoke's goal for Southing is to create the ideal marriage of complexity and elegance. The ever-changing nose of the Southing exhibits fresh currant, slight strawberry and rose aromas with notes of dried fruit, fennel, clove and nutmeg. The fine tannins and minerality are enhanced by the estate vineyard's characteristic cool climate acidity.