(Manfred Klimek / Claude Auguste – Wines / animated image: runwayml)
The history of Alsace begins with a misunderstanding. Or, to be more precise: with many misunderstandings. For centuries, the Germans and the French fought over this narrow strip of land between the Vosges and the Rhine. At times it was German, at times French, then German again, and finally French once more. Anyone driving through Ribeauvillé, Riquewihr or Colmar today will immediately understand why both sides believed they had a claim to this region. Half-timbered houses like those on the Upper Rhine, the French art de vivre, German place names, French street cafés, German grape varieties, French cuisine. Alsace was never quite one thing. And never quite the other. Today it belongs to France. And since Europe opened its borders, for the first time nobody seems to have a problem with it.
Winegrowing here predates all of Europe’s nation states: the Romans – who else? – planted vines along the Vosges. Later came monasteries, noble families and merchants. Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc continue to characterise the region to this day, along with a small proportion of Pinot Noir – the very same varieties that grow a few kilometres further east in Baden or the Palatinate. And yet they taste different. Alsace has its own distinctive character. More intensity, more spice, more texture. Less fruit-driven, more terroir-driven.
At the heart of this story lies Domaine Trimbach.
Hardly any other name is as closely associated with Alsace on the international stage as Trimbach. Wine has been produced here since 1626. Generation after generation. In a wine world that is constantly reinventing itself, Trimbach has achieved something remarkable: the estate has remained recognisable. Whilst other estates modernised their labels, redesigned their logos and devised brand strategies, the classic Trimbach labels have remained virtually unchanged. Anyone who sees a bottle today recognises it immediately. Only the more recent Grand Cru bottlings now feature slightly more modern designs. The rest seem delightfully immune to passing fads.
However, this sense of tradition must not be confused with being behind the times.
In the cellar, Trimbach has always been among those estates that quickly grasped technical developments and integrated them sensibly. Precision rather than romanticism. Purity rather than dogma. The result is wines that never seem old-fashioned, even though they are deeply rooted in tradition. This is particularly evident in the three Réserve wines.
Riesling Réserve, Pinot Gris Réserve and Gewürztraminer Réserve are among the finest introductions to the world of Alsace. In many regions, the word ‘Réserve’ conjures up expectations of body, concentration and long cellaring potential. In Alsace, it has often enough also meant wines that initially hide behind their own structure. Trimbach takes a different approach with its Réserve wines, as these wines possess terroir and substance, yet at the same time an approachability that is essential for young wine drinkers today. The Riesling Réserve combines the dry precision for which Trimbach is famous with remarkable drinkability. The Gewürztraminer Réserve expresses spice as elegance and exoticism, without slipping into perfumy or banal notes. And the Pinot Gris Réserve impressively demonstrates just how much tension this variety can develop when it is not merely reduced to body. For the prices charged, these wines have long been on a par with many ‘Erste Lagen’ in Germany. That is precisely where their strength lies. They do not cost a fortune. Yet they often taste world-class.
It becomes even more impressive with the Réserve Personnelle Pinot Gris. Pinot Gris is a grape variety that has developed an astonishing talent worldwide for producing mediocrity. Hardly any other variety is so frequently vinified into something utterly unremarkable: a bit of fruit, a touch of creaminess, little to remember.
Trimbach achieves the opposite.
The Réserve Personnelle possesses intensity, length and a lingering finish. Not blandness, but energy. The wine lingers on the palate for minutes on end, developing spice, structure and an almost salty tension alongside the residual sweetness that has characterised this wine for decades. Everything feels precisely crafted. For me, this is one of the greatest Pinot Gris wines in the world – and at the same time one of the best-value great sweet white wines of all. A wine that impressively demonstrates the potential inherent in this often-underestimated variety. When a family of winemakers subjects the variety to their own winemaking philosophy.
And then there’s the Cuvée Frédéric Emile. In Alsace, it’s usually enough simply to say the name. Hardly any further explanation is needed. For decades, it has been regarded as the estate’s icon. Grown on the historic Geisberg and Osterberg vineyards in Ribeauvillé, this Riesling displays impressive depth and ageing potential. Whilst many top Rieslings today aim for immediate impact, Frédéric Emile develops its greatness slowly. With patience. With maturity. With that inner tension that great Rieslings can sustain over decades.
One might debate which is France’s greatest Riesling. For me, this discussion usually ends with Frédéric Emile.