Grand Cru Brand. This place name (lieu-dit) lies entirely on a substratum known as the Turckheim granite. The soil is made up of granite and black mica regolith, the best provider of trace elements in the soil. A granitic soil of this type, when it is quite old, produces a soil of some depth: a silty coarse sand (arenite) which allows the roots to travel down through fissures in the bedrock. On the part of the Brand composed of granite and two types of mica (Brand and Steinglitz), erosion and rainwater infiltration of this acidic soil favours the formation of tiny quantities of clay very rich in trace elements which accumulate in the deep fissures of this vineyard locality. As the vines get older, they push down their roots deep enough to reach these trace elements. These vines no longer suffer from the driest microclimate in Alsace and are often linked to wines of complexity and minerality. Towards the lieu-dit Schnekelsbourg, within the Brand, one finds the soil type muschelkalk (limestone) at depth providing better hydration and minerals in an area which suffers greatly from its poor soil. The average to steep slope is oriented south and south-east. The Brand vineyard enjoys an exceptional amount of sunshine and is sheltered from the north winds, making it a warm and precocious terroir. Wines Only Riesling is planted in our Brand vineyards, which represents a surface of approximately 2.4ha. In the Brand, this variety acquires finesse and elegance (floral and fruit aromas) without ever becoming coarse or too heavy. The Brand always surprises by the precocity of its wines, but whilst expressive young they also have a great ability to age. The nature of this terroir makes it easy to obtain an optimal ripeness whilst retaining a fine acidity (malic acid degrades more in poor soils and warm localities). (OH)

Producer

Domaine Zind Humbrecht

Origin

Turckheim,,,, Alsace, FRANCE

Colour

white

Wine Style

dry

Dominant Grape

Riesling

Farming Style

biodynamic

Closure Style

cork

Maturity

drink or keep

Bottle Size

75cl

Case Quantity

6

Alcohol

13%

Wine Score

94-96 points, Stephan Reinhardt, robertparker.com, October 2018