Pinot Gris Clos Jebsal VT, Domaine Zind-Humbrecht 2007

With the Humbrechts' 2007 Pinot Gris Clos Jebsal Vendange Tardive we enter the realm of decidedly lower alcohol (around 11%) and higher sugar (around 100 grams). Mandarins, banana, pineapple, mint, sage flower, gardenia, and heliotrope soar from the glass, then converge on a creamy, practically weightless palate, with caramelized mirabelle, grapefruit, and peach preserves adding to the litany. Thanks to a lively sense of citrus juiciness throughout - and no doubt also to high extract - the glorious finish of this buoyant elixir is not in the least cloying. No doubt it could be happily revisited over the next 30 years.