Domaine Trimbach - Alsace Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile 2015

Bettane & Desseauve

About the domain :

The Ribeauvillé winery is slowly evolving to keep up with the times. Trimbach, which has made the switch to Grand Cru wines, is currently undergoing organic conversion (certification planned for 2023). The process will require the involvement of grape and wine suppliers. Here, Riesling is king (55% of volumes). The terroirs are ideal: marl-limestone (Geisberg, Mandelberg, Clos-saint-Hune au Rosacker) or granite (Schlossberg, Brand). The cuvée frédéric-émile blends the grand crus Osterberg and Geisberg. The 2017 and 2019 vintages will make history.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

The 2015 Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile is clear and intense but very refined on the nose, which perfectly blends minerality with concentrated lemon and smoky aromas. Round, concentrated and very elegant on the palate, this is a Riesling slightly sweeter than normal, but very fine, well-structured and perfectly saline with a long, taut finish. The fine tannins reflect the limestone and marl terroir of the Grand Cru Geisberg with the southeast-facing Grand Cru Osterberg. The 2015 will not be released until 2022.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

Very intense, impressive in its combination of purity and fruit ripeness, Frédéric Emile takes on a special substance in 2015, with an assertive but perfectly integrated solar character: cellaring is imperative.

About the domain :

Trimbach, a landmark winery that stands proudly in the beautiful city of the minstrels, delights wine-lovers with its legendary Frédéric-Émile and Clos Sainte-Hune cuvées. From vintage to vintage, Pierre Trimbach vinifies Riesling in a vertical, dry style. His brother Jean manages worldwide sales. They are now supported by the new generation, Anne and Frédérique (Pierre's daughters) and Pauline and Julien (Jean's children). The family vinifies close to 60 hectares of property and around 100 hectares of purchased grapes. Since 2009, some of the grand crus have been claimed by Jean Trimbach and directly allocated in small quantities to the world's finest tables. Jean Trimbach is making an undeniable contribution to the development of Alsace wines, with emblematic cuvées at international level, while producing entry-level wines of consistent quality. The Pinot Noir range still has room for improvement.

Vinous A. Galloni

About the wine:

Vibrant straw green. The penetrating, explosive nose offers aromas of yellow apple, musky ginger, flint and chamomile. Dense, sappy and highly concentrated, the peach and balsamic flavors are complemented by a hint of crystallized citrus peel. Very balanced from start to finish. This is a marked improvement in concentration and complexity over Trimbach's Mandelberg and Schlossberg rieslings, although the latter two wines were delicious in 2015. In keeping with the warm, dry 2015 vintage, this wine seems sweeter than usual for Fréderic Emile, but when it goes on sale in seven or eight years, it will be less sweet than it is today. Clearly, the berries and clusters were extremely small in 2015, so the wine is particularly concentrated, rich and glycerin-rich, giving it a sweet dimension. However, the small berries didn't yield much juice, and only 26,000 bottles were produced in 2015, instead of the usual 40,000. Still made from a blend of grapes grown on the Geisberg and Osterberg sites, the composition of the 2015 wine is around 60/40 in favor of the Osterberg, but it's no surprise that the presence of the Geisberg really makes itself felt in a hot year like 2015. Personally, I like it better when the Osterberg stands out, but that said, this is a truly exceptional wine in the making, one of the best young FEs I can remember.

James Suckling

About the wine:

Very complex white with aromas of slate, stone, light essent and smoke. Lemony fruit. Full-bodied, but lively and intense. Shows some phenolic tension, but also brightness and intensity on the finish. A magnificent 2015. For drinking or cellaring.