Alsace

99 Points! The late-budding and rather late-ripening Clos Saint-Urbain, in the very south of Alsace, meets the very warm and solar 2022 vintage in this wine. What a thrilling setting this is, the more so since August and September brought rather cooler conditions to this cooler but, due to its dark soils and stony terraces in summer, nevertheless warm terroir of the Rangen. Indeed, the pH level was rather low in 2022 (at 3.1) and caused a dry and tense Riesling that doesn't at all show the characteristics of the Rieslings around Turckheim or elsewhere in Alsace. The 2022 Clos Saint-Urbain Rangen de Thann Riesling opens very clear, pure, saline/iodine-inflected and stony on the flinty or smoky nose that represents the volcanic terroir of the clos perfectly or, as Olivier Humbrecht puts it, "Like a volcano fart." Powerful, rich and saline on the palate, this is a dense, highly complex and energetic Saint-Urbain that somehow combines the purity of Dönnhoff's Hermannshöhle with the concentration, power and mineral complexity of the magnesium-rich Rangen. The finish is very intense, dense and aromatic as well as salivating, with a great mix of tannins, saline acidity and perfectly ripe (apricot) fruit. Pressed slowly over 14 hours, this is one of the, if not THE, finest Rangen I have tasted from Zind-Humbrecht. (Loyal readers know that I had them all a year ago.) The 2022 comes in with 12.8% alcohol and is a wine to keep for many years. - Stephan Reinhardt, robertparkercom

92 Points! The 2023 Riesling Brandluft is from Muschelkalk soils with sandy elements and has been cultivated by the Boeckel family for at least 120 years. Based on averaging 35-year-old vines planted at high density (6,800 vines per hectare), the wine offers an elegant bouquet of white fruits intermingled with delicate limestone notes. On the palate, this is a full-bodied, intense, juicy, well structured and powerful Riesling that is rich and elegant and already drinks perfectly well. There are fine tannins on the finish, which makes this an excellent gastronomic dry Riesling. 13% stated alcohol. Diam 10 cork. Tasted at the domaine in November 2024. - Stephan Reinhardt, robertparker.com

95 Points! Slight hints of wax, earth and lemon show on the still-shy nose. The palate is equally reticent, tightly coiled but speaking of concentrated citrus freshness that verges into zestiness. The bone-dry nature makes it hard to sense ripe citrus slumbering at the core but the fruit will reveal itself with bottle age. Concentration, purity and power promise a future firework, discernible now in the tangerine zestiness on the finish. - Wine Enthusiast

91+ Points! Sourced from the upper part of the vineyard, the 2014 Riesling Grand Cru Hengst Samain is rich, ripe and concentrated on the nose, though still closed. Rich, round and intense on the palate, this is a very firmly structured but also finessed Riesling that indicates an enormous ripeness and power; but it should be aged for another couple of years. Picked at the 9th of October, so a week later than the regular Hengst. - Stephan Reinhardt, robertparker.com

93 Points! Deep and concentrated, with ample stone and citrus aromas, the mirabelle aroma as intense as that of Amalfi lemon. Quite an austere style, but with all this ripeness to balance the firm structure that’s no problem. Intense herbal and chalky character at the very focused finish. Still very young, this should develop magnificently with a bit more bottle age. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

92+ Points! From Buntsandstein and Muschelkalk soils, the 2018 Bollenberg Riesling Neuberg starts with a pretty open, rather low-sulfured (15 milligrams per liter of free SO2), pure and elegant bouquet. Lean, saline and pure on the palate, this is an elegant, fresh and energetic dry Riesling from the eastern part of the Bollenberg. The finish is intense and complex yet also underlines the youth of the 2018. 12.5% stated alcohol. Tasted at the domaine. - Stephan Reinhardt, robertparker.com