Gewurztraminer 1989: Aged to perfection

I have wanted to try an aged Gewurztraminer for a long time and was delighted to find a bottle of Zind-Humbrecht Gewurztraminer Hengst Grand Cru 1989 Vendange Tardive (spelt without the ‘ü’ in France) at a wine merchant specialising in aged wines – a real gem in perfect condition, and for only 29 euros.

The Hengst Grand Cru is located to the south of the village of Wintzenheim in Alsace at an altitude of 270 to 360 metres on a continuous steep slope. This south-east facing vineyard benefits from the dry and warm microclimate of Colmar, with an average rainfall of around 600 mm per year. The low rainfall is due to its sheltered position in the rain shadow of the Vosges mountains.

Hengst is an important Grand Cru vineyard with a total area of 53.02 hectares. The hillside vineyard consists of a mixture of limestone and marl over a thick layer of Jurassic sedimentary rock. These soils produce full-bodied, rich wines that have been praised over the years for their excellent ageing potential. The name “Hengst” (meaning stallion) is said to reflect the wildness of the wines in their youth, which may be an interesting reference to the history of the name.

Zind-Humbrecht only grows Gewurztraminer in the Hengst Grand Cru because the site is perfect for this grape variety. The warm south-east exposure increases the amount of sunlight, so the grapes are exposed to the first rays of sunlight early in the morning. The Hengst never suffers from drought, as the water reserves in the marl and limestone soils are sufficient. However, this also means that botrytis develops late, if at all.

The Gewurztraminer Hengst Grand Cru 1989 Vendange Tardive was harvested on 26 October 1989 (the harvest of the 1989 vintage at Zind-Humbrecht began on 27 September). The wine comes from old vines planted in the 1920s and 1953. 1989 was a year in which noble rot (Botrytis cinerea) developed late in the Hengst vineyard, resulting in a high concentration of sugar, acidity and flavours in the affected berries. The grapes were harvested at a high 126° Oechsle, a value not far removed from an SGN (Sélection de Grains Nobles). The finished wine has 11.5% alcohol and 100 g/l residual sugar.

But what do these figures say about flavour? Very little in fact! So what does a 35-year-old Gewurztraminer taste like? To put it bluntly: great!

The colour is a deep golden yellow, and the exuberant bouquet seduces with a variety of aromas of roses, rose water, Turkish honey, tropical fruits and spices such as saffron, which would make it very easy to classify this wine correctly in a blind tasting. The palate shows the same explosion of flavours, accompanied by a wonderful balance between sweetness and acidity, with a hint of phenolic bitterness that gives the wine freshness. The spicy complexity of the flavours has developed perfectly with maturity. The Hengst lives up to its name – it is a powerful, expressive wine with a long, intense finish. It is an excellent accompaniment to Indian curry chicken and has the potential to age gracefully for several more years. A terrific Gewurztraminer from an excellent vintage, which I recommend to anyone who wants to experience how impressive a matured wine from this grape variety can taste!