2003 Riesling Rangen de Thann Clos St Urbain

The amber-golden colored 2003 Riesling Clos Saint-Urbain Rangen de Thann was sourced only from the oldest, most heat- and drought-resistant yet low-yielding vines (25 hectoliters per hectare) whose grapes were picked early and fermented quickly to fully dry. It is enormously rich and intense but refined on the finely flinty nose that displays (white) pepper and spicy notes. On the palate, this is a full-bodied, dense, rich and complex as well as powerful and persistent Rangen whose finish is enormously rich even though the residual sugar is just three grams per liter. Nevertheless, the 2003 Clos Saint Urbain has so much body, intensity and complexity that it opens to a new phase or even era of Humbrecnht's Rangen Riesling 20 years ago. This is the first vintage that bridges to the wines from today: reliably dry and all the more mineral and terroir-driven. Bottled in September 2004 with 13.5% stated alcohol. Tasted as part of the large Rangen vertical in Wachenheim, Pfalz, in November 2023.