ALSACE, FRANCE
 
'Trimbach is at the summit of dry white winemaking.' Clive Coates M.W
 
This Pinot-Gris shows some ripe fruits such as ripe pears and yellow peaches with a touch of smokiness, it is very pure and focused which makes it an ideal wine for the gastronomy. Impeccable, solar 2018 vintage with ripe and focused acidity - a dry Pinot Gris. A top seller in Alsace, ideal for all cuisines of the world.
 
Winery Notes:
One of the most remarkable Alsace grape varieties which combines a full-bodied, heady and always dry fruitiness. Its generous character and its hint of smoke go perfectly with the pleasures of the table.
 
Pairings: terrines, smoked fish, in sauce and raw, white meats, sweetbreads, mushrooms, spicy and aromatic dishes, Asian cuisine
Ageing potential: 10 years.
 
About this historically important estate:
With viticultural origins going back to 1626 this family owned estate produces some of the finest wines not only of Alsace, but indeed the entire world of wine. Around the villages of Ribeauvillé and Hunawihr, the Trimbach family owns 27 hectares of vineyards including 1.67ha of Rosacker Grand cru (which produces the highly famed Clos Sainte Hune Riesling) as well as parcels of Geisberg and Osterberg (blended to make the equally renowned Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile). Geisberg and Osterberg are located on the hill rising up behind the ‘new’ family winery on the edge of Ribeauvillé. The family moved from their ‘old’ winery in Hunawihr in the 1890’s! Indeed, the label of Clos Sainte Hune depicts the view to the local church from the old winery in Hunawihr.
 
According to Jean Trimbach, the house style is aiming for ‘harmonious wines that are concentrated, not heavy; fruity, not sweet; bracing rather than fat; polite rather than voluptuous.’ To that end, fermentations are cool and slow, maloloactic fermentation is not carried out and the wines are bottled early to retain freshness.
 
The dry Rieslings are usually made with less than 5g/l of residual sugar, whereas the dry Gewürztraminers might carry up to 10g/l. The wines are then aged in the cellar for at least one year; up to 5 years or more for the top wines. Even the richer Vendanges Tardive and Selection de Grains Nobles wines are made with more restraint than is usual in Alsace more generally: VT Rieslings typically carry 15-40g/l; VT Gewürztraminer around 50-75g/l; and SGN typically from 100g/l.
 
Wine Enthusiast 90 Points:
Only a hint of freshly cut, ripe pear peel appears briefly on the nose of this wine. The palate presents a precise picture of concentrated ripe, green pear that comes with purity, precision and restraint. All the fruit is there, but rather than rounding out, it soars with freshness, which is a real achievement in 2018. The finish is dry and vivid. —Anne Krebiehl, MW