Description
Brand is one of the driest vineyard sites in Alsace, with its low precipitation helped by the rain shadow cast by the Vosges mountains. Indeed, the name Brand means “fire” in German and stems from the dry mesoclimate. The slopes of the Brand vineyard rise rapidly from 260 to 360m (853-1,181ft), becoming gradually steeper towards the top. Granite is at the core of the hillside, although the topsoils are a complex, sandy mix of loose sandstone, granite and marlstone. The variation is visible over just a few meters and is the result of glacial activity in the area during the last ice age. This variation increases on the lower slopes and the ledges formed by the vineyard’s frequent terraces. At the very foot of the site are vineyards bearing two of Alsace’s more-famous names – Clos Jebsal and Herrenweg – both owned by Domaine Zind-Humbrecht. The wines of Brand are known for their finesse, subtlety, fruit and balance
