1996 Riesling Rangen de Thann Clos St Urbain

The amber-colored, almost orange but radiant 1996 Riesling Clos Saint-Urbain Rangen de Thann is intense and darker toned in its autumn flavors. Indeed, after a cold but dry summer, the grapes were picked with high acidity levels in late October and in November, and the wine opens with dark apricot, flinty and coolish stone aromas with some balsamic nuances. Lean, fresh but concentrated and without any hedonistic features, this is a rather functional, enormously saline and mineral dry Riesling that might be a great menu wine in about 10 years. Picked at moderate 88° Oechsle and bottled with just 12.4% alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted in Wachenheim, Pfalz, on November 19 2023.