Riesling Rangen “Clos Saint Urbain” Grand Cru 2022

The Rangen Grand Cru is located in the south of Alsace and therefore enjoys a higher altitude (the Rhine River runs north!). The valley of the Thur River that runs directly under the Clos Saint-Urbain is narrow and deep. All these factors explain why this site is in fact late ripening with a budbreak and flowering aften 2 weeks or more later than Turckheim. However, the steep south facing slope and dark volcanic rocks allows this vineyard to catch up later in the season. The Rangen also benefits from higher rainfall (750mm versus only 500 in Turckheim) which is in fact beneficial for a soil that has an exceptional drainage capacity. The volcanic ash was compacted under the see about 350 million years ago. It is rich in specific minerals (magnesium) and does influence a lot the flavour of the wines. The 2022 vintage shows a balance that is quite dry and tense for a very warm and solar vintage. It can be explained by the fact that Thann enjoys a climate that can be quite different from the rest of Alsace.