Zind Humbrecht
About Zind Humbrecht
Domaine Zind-Humbrecht in the Alsace, was created in 1959 continuing the Humbrecht family’s history of wine growing for three centuries. It is now managed by Olivier Humbrecht, the first Frenchman to become a master of wine.
One of the most important domaines in Alsace since its foundation in 1620, Domaine Zind Humbrecht has been passed down through generations of the Humbrecht Family for 400 years. Not only is the domaine one of the most traditional, it is also one of the most dynamic in this heavily German-influenced French wine region.
Perhaps it is four centuries of experience and dedication to their land and terroir that led them to convert to biodynamics back in 1997. The results are tangible and their wines, especially those from the most prestigious Grands Crus, go toe-to-toe with the finest white wines in the world.
| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
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Alsace | 2 | 94-96 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£408.80 |
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Vinous (94-96)Pale, gold-tinged straw. Intense, pure, utterly captivating aromas of pineapple, passion fruit, caramelized mango, cinnamon and nutmeg. In the mouth, sweet vanilla and toffee apple flavors are at once silky and powerful. Finishes extremely long and pure. A benchmark Gewürztraminer, and a real step up in concentration and complexity from the other 2012 Gewürztraminers at this address. The very old vines grow in two parcels, one planted in the 1920s and the other by Olivier’s grandfather in 1957. Structure-wise, I find this to be very reminiscent of a Rangen Gewürztraminer. In fact, it never ceases to amaze me how saline Zind-Humbrecht’s Hengst Gewürzes can be (and in this sense they are certainly Rangen-like). |
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Alsace | 1 | 97 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£109.73 |
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James Suckling (97)This gewurz is built on a monumental scale with gigantic concentration and structure, easily filling out the huge body. The abundant fine tannins soak up almost all of the unfermented grape sweetness and drive the very long and texturally complex, spicy finish. Already pretty mind-blowing, but great aging potential! From biodynamically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but best from 2025. |
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Alsace | 2 | 94 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£418.40 |
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Vinous (94)Dark golden yellow. White peach, green apple, minerals and botanical herbs on the forward but refined nose, complicated by a hint of spicy botrytis. Sweet, dense and leesy, conveying a compelling, delicately creamy texture and outstanding depth to its lemony noble rot-accented baked apple and herbal flavors. Finishes vibrant and long, with only a hint of residual sweetness (27.6 g/ residual sugar balanced by 6.3 g/l total acidity, with a 3.7 pH). Though less showy than most of the other vintages in this tasting, it showcases the classic, harmonious personality typical of the 2005 vintage in Alsace; but in perfect Rangen style it is still a rather powerful wine (15.3% alcohol). Humbrecht told me that 2005 featured the latest harvest start in 15 years and that some noble rot hit the Clos in 2005, but significantly less than in his other vineyards closer to Turckheim. The yield was a low 26 hectoliters per hectare. |
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Alsace | 1 | - |
Inc. VAT
£560.00 |
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Alsace | 2 | 98 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£1,018.01 |
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James Suckling (98)The most powerful and deepest pinot gris of this vintage from Zind Humbrecht with a ton of smoke, creme-brulee and mushroom character. In spite of the almost 15% alcoholic content, it is properly dry and has a wonderful liveliness at the finish. Drink or hold. Made from biodynamically grown grapes. |
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Alsace | 2 | 98 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£490.49 |
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James Suckling (98)Super smoky, spicy and flinty, this imposing and enveloping pinot gris is barely off-dry. Welcome to a world of smoky and textural complexity on the deep and refined palate. The power and concentration are almost as complete as the ripeness, effortlessly handling the 13.5% alcohol. Super-long, creamy and spicy finish. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. |
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Alsace | 1 | 95 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£310.32 |
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James Suckling (95)This self-confidently atypical pinot gris has astonishing acidity that’s got the intensity of a lightning strike. Tons of pineapple and toast character, but also gigantic, lemony freshness at the exceptionally bright finish. May be too extreme for some, but we find this amazing. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. |
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Alsace | 1 | 95 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£106.13 |
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Vinous (95)Bright straw-yellow. Penetrating aromas and flavors of minerals, lavender, lemon and vanilla bean are very long and clean and display laser-like precision. The enamel-shattering acidity (the pH of 2.9 is really quite low) is buffered by a very ripe mouthfeel and a little bit of residual sugar (roughly 11 g/L residual sugar, though because of all that acidity, the wine tastes classically dry). Amazing purity of fruit and a crystalline mouthfeel bode well for this wine’s future; at once very acidic but also very ripe, this is a really amazing effort from Humbrecht. Very well done. |
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Alsace | 1 | 95 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£93.31 |
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James Suckling (95)Still very youthful, with a wealth of cool and delicate herbal and stone-fruit aromas. Very straight and vertical, with super-elegant and energetic acidity. Tons of chalky power, but the fruit is only just beginning to open up on the sleek but very compact palate. I love the really long, fragrant finish. The structure and harmony for very long aging! From biodynamically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but best from 2024 |
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Alsace | 1 | 97 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£478.32 |
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James Suckling (97)A unique dry riesling with an astonishing combination of mini banana, mirabelle, baking spice and sea salt. Super concentrated and super elegant, this has a level of poise that’s very rare in the 2018 vintage. I love the way the silky finish caresses the palate. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. |
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Alsace | 1 | 98 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£202.76 |
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James Suckling (98)This dry riesling masterpiece is full of seeming contradictions that give it a sense of mystery you very rarely find. So rich and concentrated, yet also astonishingly vivid and precise, the aromas range from smoke to roses, although the most obvious note is the peachy one up front. Breathtakingly long and complete finish with so much mineral complexity. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. |
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Alsace | 2 | 99 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£424.32 |
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James Suckling (99)So smoky, with intense gunpowder character, but also notes of forest mushrooms and jack fruit. This is not only very concentrated, but also has an amazingly sensual mouth-feel that sets out in the wide field of exciting dry Alsace rieslings from the 2020 vintage. Expands and expands as it flows over your palate until it blows your mind at the unbelievably long, smoky finish. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. |
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Alsace | 1 | 98 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£129.44 |
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James Suckling (98)Welcome to the dark side of the dry riesling force where gunpowder meets the stone at the heart of the peach. Dazzling racy intensity. Super-long and pure with a mountain of crushed rock character at the smoky finish. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. |
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Alsace | 1 | 99 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£571.09 |
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Wine Advocate (99)The late-budding and rather late-ripening Clos Saint-Urbain, in the very south of Alsace, meets the very warm and solar 2022 vintage in this wine. What a thrilling setting this is, the more so since August and September brought rather cooler conditions to this cooler but, due to its dark soils and stony terraces in summer, nevertheless warm terroir of the Rangen. Indeed, the pH level was rather low in 2022 (at 3.1) and caused a dry and tense Riesling that doesn't at all show the characteristics of the Rieslings around Turckheim or elsewhere in Alsace. |
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| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Alsace | 2 | 94-96 (VN) |
In Bond
£320.00 |
|||||
Vinous (94-96)Pale, gold-tinged straw. Intense, pure, utterly captivating aromas of pineapple, passion fruit, caramelized mango, cinnamon and nutmeg. In the mouth, sweet vanilla and toffee apple flavors are at once silky and powerful. Finishes extremely long and pure. A benchmark Gewürztraminer, and a real step up in concentration and complexity from the other 2012 Gewürztraminers at this address. The very old vines grow in two parcels, one planted in the 1920s and the other by Olivier’s grandfather in 1957. Structure-wise, I find this to be very reminiscent of a Rangen Gewürztraminer. In fact, it never ceases to amaze me how saline Zind-Humbrecht’s Hengst Gewürzes can be (and in this sense they are certainly Rangen-like). |
|||||||||
|
|
Alsace | 1 | 97 (JS) |
In Bond
£88.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (97)This gewurz is built on a monumental scale with gigantic concentration and structure, easily filling out the huge body. The abundant fine tannins soak up almost all of the unfermented grape sweetness and drive the very long and texturally complex, spicy finish. Already pretty mind-blowing, but great aging potential! From biodynamically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but best from 2025. |
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|
|
Alsace | 2 | 94 (VN) |
In Bond
£328.00 |
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Vinous (94)Dark golden yellow. White peach, green apple, minerals and botanical herbs on the forward but refined nose, complicated by a hint of spicy botrytis. Sweet, dense and leesy, conveying a compelling, delicately creamy texture and outstanding depth to its lemony noble rot-accented baked apple and herbal flavors. Finishes vibrant and long, with only a hint of residual sweetness (27.6 g/ residual sugar balanced by 6.3 g/l total acidity, with a 3.7 pH). Though less showy than most of the other vintages in this tasting, it showcases the classic, harmonious personality typical of the 2005 vintage in Alsace; but in perfect Rangen style it is still a rather powerful wine (15.3% alcohol). Humbrecht told me that 2005 featured the latest harvest start in 15 years and that some noble rot hit the Clos in 2005, but significantly less than in his other vineyards closer to Turckheim. The yield was a low 26 hectoliters per hectare. |
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Alsace | 1 | - |
In Bond
£446.00 |
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Alsace | 2 | 98 (JS) |
In Bond
£807.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (98)The most powerful and deepest pinot gris of this vintage from Zind Humbrecht with a ton of smoke, creme-brulee and mushroom character. In spite of the almost 15% alcoholic content, it is properly dry and has a wonderful liveliness at the finish. Drink or hold. Made from biodynamically grown grapes. |
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|
|
Alsace | 2 | 98 (JS) |
In Bond
£390.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (98)Super smoky, spicy and flinty, this imposing and enveloping pinot gris is barely off-dry. Welcome to a world of smoky and textural complexity on the deep and refined palate. The power and concentration are almost as complete as the ripeness, effortlessly handling the 13.5% alcohol. Super-long, creamy and spicy finish. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. |
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|
|
Alsace | 1 | 95 (JS) |
In Bond
£240.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (95)This self-confidently atypical pinot gris has astonishing acidity that’s got the intensity of a lightning strike. Tons of pineapple and toast character, but also gigantic, lemony freshness at the exceptionally bright finish. May be too extreme for some, but we find this amazing. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. |
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|
|
Alsace | 1 | 95 (VN) |
In Bond
£85.00 |
|||||
Vinous (95)Bright straw-yellow. Penetrating aromas and flavors of minerals, lavender, lemon and vanilla bean are very long and clean and display laser-like precision. The enamel-shattering acidity (the pH of 2.9 is really quite low) is buffered by a very ripe mouthfeel and a little bit of residual sugar (roughly 11 g/L residual sugar, though because of all that acidity, the wine tastes classically dry). Amazing purity of fruit and a crystalline mouthfeel bode well for this wine’s future; at once very acidic but also very ripe, this is a really amazing effort from Humbrecht. Very well done. |
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|
|
Alsace | 1 | 95 (JS) |
In Bond
£75.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (95)Still very youthful, with a wealth of cool and delicate herbal and stone-fruit aromas. Very straight and vertical, with super-elegant and energetic acidity. Tons of chalky power, but the fruit is only just beginning to open up on the sleek but very compact palate. I love the really long, fragrant finish. The structure and harmony for very long aging! From biodynamically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but best from 2024 |
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|
|
Alsace | 1 | 97 (JS) |
In Bond
£380.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (97)A unique dry riesling with an astonishing combination of mini banana, mirabelle, baking spice and sea salt. Super concentrated and super elegant, this has a level of poise that’s very rare in the 2018 vintage. I love the way the silky finish caresses the palate. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. |
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|
|
Alsace | 1 | 98 (JS) |
In Bond
£163.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (98)This dry riesling masterpiece is full of seeming contradictions that give it a sense of mystery you very rarely find. So rich and concentrated, yet also astonishingly vivid and precise, the aromas range from smoke to roses, although the most obvious note is the peachy one up front. Breathtakingly long and complete finish with so much mineral complexity. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. |
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|
|
Alsace | 2 | 99 (JS) |
In Bond
£335.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (99)So smoky, with intense gunpowder character, but also notes of forest mushrooms and jack fruit. This is not only very concentrated, but also has an amazingly sensual mouth-feel that sets out in the wide field of exciting dry Alsace rieslings from the 2020 vintage. Expands and expands as it flows over your palate until it blows your mind at the unbelievably long, smoky finish. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. |
|||||||||
|
|
Alsace | 1 | 98 (JS) |
In Bond
£105.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (98)Welcome to the dark side of the dry riesling force where gunpowder meets the stone at the heart of the peach. Dazzling racy intensity. Super-long and pure with a mountain of crushed rock character at the smoky finish. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. |
|||||||||
|
|
Alsace | 1 | 99 (WA) |
In Bond
£458.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (99)The late-budding and rather late-ripening Clos Saint-Urbain, in the very south of Alsace, meets the very warm and solar 2022 vintage in this wine. What a thrilling setting this is, the more so since August and September brought rather cooler conditions to this cooler but, due to its dark soils and stony terraces in summer, nevertheless warm terroir of the Rangen. Indeed, the pH level was rather low in 2022 (at 3.1) and caused a dry and tense Riesling that doesn't at all show the characteristics of the Rieslings around Turckheim or elsewhere in Alsace. |
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