Hengst is an Alsace Grand Cru vineyard and corresponding appellation in the historic village of Wintzenheim in Alsace, north-eastern France. It is among the more southerly of the 51 Grand Cru sites dotted along the eastern slopes of the Vosges Mountains. Hengst is one of four Grand Crus which run in a line just to the south-west of Colmar, the administrative center of the Haut-Rhin department. Eichberg, Pfersigberg and Steingrubler are the other three in the set. (© Proprietary Content, Wine-Searcher.)
Like Pfersigberg, just one mile (1.6km) to the south, Hengst is one of the very largest Grand Crus in Alsace, beaten only by Schlossberg. It covers nearly 187 acres (76ha) of relatively steep slopes between the southern edge of Wintzenheim and the northern edge of Wettolsheim.
©Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins d'Alsace (CIVA)
The topography of Hengst is complex, with a subtle depression right at the center of the site. Its general aspect is south-easterly, although the vines can face anywhere between due east and due south. As a result of this shape and location, there is a high degree of wind shelter here – adding to the already-strong protection provided by the Vosges Mountains immediately above and to the west.
The vineyard's slopes rise from 755 to 1180ft (270–360m), becoming gradually steeper towards the top. The soils are as complicated as the topography, being composed of multiple geological strata which are visible to the naked eye. Limestone is the predominant stone and is present in both the bedrock and the topsoils. There is a higher proportion of sandstone in the higher sections, where the effects of glaciation have not scraped it so completely from the granite foundations.
Hengst is one of the driest vineyard sites in Alsace (Colmar, nearby, receives less annual rainfall than any other town in France). The climate of the area is of continental type, with marked low rainfall resulting from the rain shadow cast by the Vosges. The mountains also provide protection from the prevailing westerly winds, making the Alsatian summer one of the driest and warmest in the northern half of France. At the other end of the temperature scale, the winters here are cold; it is not uncommon to see Alsace vineyards lined with snow.
Hengst has been recognized as a prime vineyard site since the ninth century. The name means 'stallion' in German, although there is no evidence to suggest why it was chosen. The vines are overlooked by the Trois Donjons d'Eguisheim – a trio of towers constructed in 10th–12th centuries by local noblemen. Workers on the plains below have traditionally used the towers as a timepiece, noting the position of their relative shadows to track the progress of the sun.
Apart from a few notable exceptions, all Alsace Grand Cru wines are varietals and may be made from Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris or Muscat. Hengst is planted mostly with Gewurztraminer, but Riesling and Pinot Gris also have significant representation.