2012 ZIND Vin de Table (Chardonnay, Auxerrois)
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Tasting notes
Signature smoky limestone and lemon flavors along with more international popcorn and fennel seed flavors open the 2012 Vin de Table Zind, a quite Burgundian wine that is not allowed to be marketed as Vin d'Alsace, due to the 23-year-old Chardonnay (65%) that is blended with coeval Auxerrois (35%); both varieties are cultivated in the Clos Windsbuhl, one of the top sites of the prestigious domaine. The wine is rich and intense on the palate, very pure, salty, and stimulatingly fresh and salty in the lingering finish. Rounder, bigger and richer than the 2013, although the alcohol volume is only 12.6%. "Unexpectedly, we have more residual sugar here (8 grams) because we had to ferment the wine in a new cask with no yeasts in it from previous vintages," explains Olivier Humbrecht. This might be the reason why I find the 2012 more saturating.
Critic scores
Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate
About the producer
Widely acknowledged as one of the legendary wineries in Alsace, the wines of Domaine Zind-Humbrecht are nothing short of magical. Certified organic and biodynamic, the estate crafts an extensive range of wines, including many Grand Cru and single-vineyard bottlings.