The Heimbourg of Turckheim is a small vineyard sloping 35% to the west, facing the east side of the Brand, then turning abruptly towards the south with the slope increasing to over 50%. Climatically, this hillside enjoys a lengthy period of evening sunshine, because thanks to its position facing the Munster valley, the vines are not in the shade of the Vosges Mountains. The west side is a late-ripening area, the grapes ripen slowly, always retain good acidity and see a late development of noble rot. The south side is naturally a lot warmer and early-ripening (the same goes for the Clos Jebsal), but always benefits from the wind from the valley which prevents the noble rot from developing too early. The soil structure is a clay-limestone substratum (oligocene limestone and interbedded marl) where the yellow or white calcareous rocks are present in large numbers on the surface. We have chosen to plant the Pinot Gris (1.6ha) in the upper part which faces west and has the poorest and stoniest soil. The Gewurztraminer (1ha) lies just below, also facing west. The small south side was planted with Riesling in 1994 (1.15ha) and in 1997 we planted a small parcel of Pinot noir (0.3ha). The wines produced on the Heimbourg are rich, opulent, often spicy and can include noble rot. The slower ripening of the grapes often produces wines that are aromatically expressive from a young age, contrary to its neighbour the Clos Jebsal with whom we have to show patience. The deep limestone substrate remains cool and explains the fine acid structure and beautiful ageing potential of the wines from the Heimbourg. The heterogeneous nature of the terroir leads to a diversity of grape varieties planted in this small cru. The top part of the slope, less fertile and more exposed to the wind is planted to Pinot Gris. (OH)

Producer

Domaine Zind Humbrecht

Origin

Turckheim,,,, Alsace, FRANCE

Colour

white

Wine Style

dry

Dominant Grape

Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio

Farming Style

biodynamic

Closure Style

cork

Maturity

drink or keep

Bottle Size

75cl

Case Quantity

6

Wine Score