The Clos Haüserer lies at the foot of the Hengst Grand Cru, on a gentle easterly slope. Léonard Humbrecht succeeded in creating a single parcel of 1.1 ha along the border of the rural agricultural path, Haüserweg and in 1973 planted the Clos Haüserer exclusively to Riesling. This large plot is principally situated in the lieu-dit of Unterersoedlen, just outside the boundary of the Grand Cru Hengst; however a small part of the parcel is located within the lieu-dit Soedlen in the Grand Cru (which is quite possibly the best part of Hengst). The baptism of Clos Haüserer is a reference to the small stone walls which forms three of the sides and the rural path, Haüserweg, which runs along the final boundary. We find ruins of ancient Roman villas in parts of the Hengst and this path, the Haüserweg, signifies path or way to the houses or villas. The subsoil is identical to that of the Hengst, that is, marl and limestone from the Oligocene period. Due to this vineyard’s location in a small basin at the lower end of the slope, various elements have been deposited on the surface following erosion forming a gentle colluvial slope. The substrate Oligocene limestone is located at 1 to 2m below the surface, covered by a thick layer of marl which guarantees thriving conditions for the vines. In its youth this parcel was more prone to an excess of vigour, however by patiently waiting for the roots to penetrate into the depths of the soil, and through increasing the vine competition and adequately managing the viticulture, the vines have attained a balance. With the deep, established root system, this terroir excels in warm vintages as it preserves acidity. Clos Haüserer enjoys a varied and unique microclimate due to its situation in a small basin at the bottom of the slope and the fact that it is protected from wind. It can be an anomaly as it is a terroir as it can either be very warm or very cool. (OH)

Producer

Domaine Zind Humbrecht

Origin

Wintzenheim,,,, Alsace, FRANCE

Colour

white

Wine Style

medium

Dominant Grape

Riesling

Farming Style

biodynamic

Closure Style

cork

Maturity

drink or keep

Bottle Size

75cl

Case Quantity

6

Wine Score

93-94 points, Stephan Reinhardt, robertparker.com, February 2017