2010 Alsace

Such was the small harvest and extended ripening season that Trimbach’s Reserve Riesling, the product of both estate and bought-in fruit, delivers above average intensity and ‘performance’; the ‘dry extract’ figure of 30grams/litre alone exceeded that of bigger brother Cuvee Frederic Emile! But best bear in mind that more concentration doesn’t equate to a finer wine, for the ‘CFE’ is in a different league. That said I reckon this Riesling delivers much more than you would expect from a negociant such as Trimbach. After all dry Riesling is what Trimbach does best. This has less than 2 grams/litre residual sugar, which lends itself to a tasty chalky lime nose and medium bodied palate. Very tasty and generous. Drinking 2013 – 2020.
David Berry Green, Alsace buyer The Trimbach family is one of France’s greatest winemaking dynasties, having made wine in Alsace for almost four centuries (since 1626) based in the picturesque town of Ribeauvillé. If Domaine Zind-Humbrecht produces wines of extravagant power at one end of the spectrum of excellence within Alsace wine making, then Trimbach definitely stands at the other extreme – “Restraint” is their watchword.

The Trimbach style is summed-up perfectly by Hubert Trimbach: “Concentrated not heavy; fruity, not sweet; bracing rather than fat; polite rather than voluptuous. Trimbach wines are reserved, steely, elegant, even aristocratic; never obvious or flashy. We are Protestants. Our wines have the Protestant style – vigour, firmness, a beautiful acidity, lovely freshness. Purity and cleanness, that’s Trimbach.” For those weary of the residual sugar found in so many of the contemporary Alsace wines, Trimbach’s are a refuge.

As the family moves into its 13th generation, with Pierre’s daughter Anne now working in the business (and Jean’s son Julian studying vine science at Dijon), Maison Trimbach remains a byword for fine dry Alsace Riesling. Famously controversial for opting out of the Grand Cru classification back in 1975, on account of the overly generous yields and low sugar levels (low quality) required, in the past five years the company has added 15 hectares of prime Grand Cru sites, notably in Osterberg, Geisberg, and Schlossberg, bringing their total to 45ha. Their brands of (Riesling) Cuvee Frederic Emile, (Pinot Gris) Reserve Personelle and (Gewurztraminer) Cuvee des Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre remain central to the range, made from both their own and bought in fruit; they remain a clear step up in quality and finesse from the fruitier ‘Reserve’ lines. Clos Ste.Hune is the estate’s finest Riesling, from a 1.67ha ‘clos’ within Grand Cru Rosacker; the provenance readily communicated but still absent from the label. So as winemaker Pierre Trimbach signs off his 34th vintage in charge, this is still very much an estate to watch. These wines are considered the benchmark for quality, consistency and style. The essence of Trimbach, with the obvious exception of the luscious Vendage Tardive and SGN wines, is the traditional dry style in which the wines are made.

Drier still than the Clos Hauserer, at 4 grams RS, Clos Windsbuhl's sword-like verticality also stems from its position at the top of the slope behind Hunawihr close to the cooling  Vosges forest (ala Chambertin) and its poor Muschelkalk limestone soils, together promoting a long hang time and great complexity. When I visited Olivier in March this year I noted the wine's incredible stoniness and elegance; it will need more time to come round than Clos Hauserer, best from 2015 till 2030?
(David Berry Green, Berrys' Alsace Buyer)