| Score: |
98 RP.
"The 1994 Riesling Rangen Clos St.-Urbain was made from yields of just over one ton per acre (17 hectoliters per hectare). It is nearly dry with 14% alcohol. The wine exhibits an awesome nose of powerfully ripe fruit laced with mineral notes. The wine's density, amazing body, and massive intensity and richness, never come across as over-done or ponderous. Fabulously pure and well-focused, it will easily last for another 15-20 years. This is one of the single greatest Rieslings I have ever tasted.
One of the most extraordinary vineyards I have ever seen is the Rangen vineyard in southern Alsace. It has an 80% gradient (some sections have a steepness of 150%), as well as a full southern exposure. The volcanic rock hillside has been terraced, and only the most able laborers/harvesters are capable of working its steep slopes, which may be even more impressive than the dramatically terraced vineyards of Cote Rotie. The Zind-Humbrecht family owns the famed walled parcel, Clos St.-Urbain in the Rangen vineyard. What emerges from this hallowed site are some of the most massive yet beautifully balanced, awesomely concentrated, and profound white wines produced in the world." |