Winemaker Notes
Trimbach's "Clos Sainte Hune" wine has an exceptional ageing potential as it can age 7 to 10 years after bottling without even reaching its peak. Vintage 2006 is now available in very limited quantities.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Fresh lime, yellow plum, musk, and intimations of chalk dust in the nose of Trimbach’s 2006 Riesling Clos Ste-Hune usher in a strikingly fresh, firm palate possessed of meat stock and game-like animal undertones. This bottling of barely over 12.5% in alcohol is much more tightly-stitched than the corresponding Frederic Emile, and finishes with penetrating, bright length, combined with overtly crushed stone minerality. No Alsace 2006 of my experience can top this for focus, clarity, or long-term (I would estimate 12-15 years’) aging potential, although the Frederic Emile is in its very different way more striking, as well as more fun to drink now.
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Wine Spectator
Bright and focused, with bracing acidity and a strong undercurrent of saline minerality. Flavors of quince, green pear, lemon verbena and dried apricot wrap around the minerally core, but it takes hold again on the finish with lots of lingering notes of white pepper, fleur de sel and hot stone. This purrs like a finely tuned Ferrari, combining both power and finesse. Drink now through 2030. 700 cases made
Since 1626, the Trimbach family has been promoting the history, exceptional terroirs and fine wines of Alsace. Maison Trimbach is located in Ribeauvillé, where today three generations work closely together.
Day-to-day operations are handled personally by brothers Pierre and Jean Trimbach, representing the 12th generation. Bernard and Hubert Trimbach, the 11th generation (father and uncle, respectively, to Pierre and Jean) remain integrally involved. Anne, the eldest of the 13th generation, has just joined the family business. The Trimbachs have a purist vision. Across 12 generations, the family has always produced wines that are structured, long-lived, fruity, elegant and balanced: the celebrated Trimbach style. Bottles remain in the cellar for several years before reaching the marketplace, ensuring the wines are both ready to drink upon release but also hold great aging potential.
Pierre Trimbach (winemaker since 1979) was named one of the world’s Top Ten White Winemaker by Decanter Magazine in 2006. He was also named “Wine Personality of 2016” by Betthane & Desseauve Magazine and they score Cuvée Frederic Emile 2008 a rare 20/20.
Riesling possesses a remarkable ability to reflect the character of wherever it is grown while still maintaining its identity. A regal variety of incredible purity and precision, this versatile grape can be just as enjoyable dry or sweet, young or old, still or sparkling and can age longer than nearly any other white variety. Somm Secret—Given how difficult it is to discern the level of sweetness in a Riesling from the label, here are some clues to find the dry ones. First, look for the world “trocken.” (“Halbtrocken” or “feinherb” mean off-dry.) Also a higher abv usually indicates a drier Riesling.
Small but mighty, this picturesque region in northeastern France is renowned for its white wines produced by passionate families whose winemaking roots span generations and even centuries. Nestled between the Vosges Mountains and the Rhine River, Alsace benefits from a sunny, dry climate and a long growing season. It is one of the most geologically diverse regions in the world — one of the many reasons why Alsace rocks!
Alsace wines include dry, mineral-driven Riesling, earthy Pinot Gris, refreshing Pinot Blanc, exuberant Gewurztraminer, elegant Pinot Noir, and more. From traditional-method sparkling wines to easy-drinking AOC Alsace, to complex Grand Cru bottlings from 51 distinct sites, and rich, late harvest wines, Alsace produces a wine for every occasion. Most Alsace wines are single-varietal bottlings and are labeled with the grape name. The region is also one of the greenest wine-producing areas in France, with 36% of its vineyard area certified organic.
Riesling, the region’s calling card, is dry, fresh and floral in its youth, developing complex mineral and flint character with age. Gewurztraminer is known for its signature spice and lychee aromatics. Pinot Gris is prized for its combination of crisp acidity and savory spice as well as ripe stone fruit flavors. Pinot Blanc is an affable food partner or porch sipper. Pinot Noir, the only red grape in AOC Alsace, is now authorized in three Grand Cru areas and is also used for Crémant d’Alsace sparkling rosé. Any bottle you choose will offer deliciousness, pleasure and value that is unprecedented in other wine regions.