Trimbach - Riesling Frédéric Emile 2015

Since 1626, the Trimbach family have been a reference point for fine Alsace wine — and if you ask, they will proudly tell you they are Alsatian first, French second. Their wines are sought out by collectors and enthusiasts in earnest, and they’ve held the distinction of being the United States’ number one still wine Alsace producer since 1978. The Trimbachs are also one of the largest owners of Grand Cru vineyards in the region which account for an impressive third of their total production. They were also Certified HVE-3 Organic in 2023. Just a few elements (of many) that speak volumes about their dedication to creating the highest-caliber expressions of their terroir.

Today, three words continue to drive the Trimbachs and their winemaking toward the future: balance, balance, balance. It is the family’s philosophy on life, which they also tirelessly pursue at work among their vines and in the Trimbach winery. They own 58 hectares / 143 acres of vineyards — with riesling representing half of their production — and their wines span five key tiers, from the accessible Classics to the super-premium Grands Crus Collections. At every level, these wines embody the celebrated Trimbach style: structured, long-lived, fruit-driven, dry, elegant, and (above all) balanced.

Family is also central to everyday life at Trimbach. Winemaking is expertly managed by 12th-generation Pierre, alongside his nephew Julien. Pierre’s brother, Jean, is the family’s globetrotting export manager, famously active in his visits to the U.S. market in particular. He is frequently joined by Anne, his niece and the eldest of the 13th generation, who is working to expand the business’ digital footprint in the global markets. Pauline, Jean’s eldest daughter, manages the French market, while Frédérique, Pierre’s daughter, manages procurement and communications.

The grapes are crushed and delicately pressed in a pneumatic press, then vinified to dryness in stainless steel vats and old casks. No MLF, or long aging on lees in order to preserve freshness, liveliness and fruity aromas. The wine was bottled in spring. After seven years of aging in the cellar the wine expresses all its potential to develop further, expressing its terroir, with aging potential of 20+ years.

"Vibrant straw-green. The penetrating, explosive nose offers yellow apple, musky ginger, flint and chamomile. Dense, sappy and highly concentrated; peach and balsamic flavors are complicated by a hint of crystallized citrus peel. Displays lovely balance from start to very long finish. This is a noteworthy step up in concentration and complexity from Trimbach’s Mandelberg and Schlossberg Rieslings, however delightful those last two wines are in 2015. In keeping with the hot, dry 2015 vintage, this strikes me as sweeter than usual for the Fréderic Emile, though by the time it goes on sale in seven or eight years, it will taste less sweet than it is today. Clearly, the berries and bunches were extremely small in 2015, and so the wine is especially concentrated, rich and glyceral, all of which contribute a dimension of sweetness. However, the small berries didn’t give much juice and only 26,000 bottles were produced in 2015, instead of the more usual 40,000. Always a blend of grapes grown in the Geisberg and Osterberg sites, the wine’s makeup in 2015 is about 60/40 in favor of the Osterberg, but not surprisingly, the Geisberg’s presence really comes through in a hot year like 2015. I personally like it more when the Osterberg stands out, but that said, this is a really outstanding wine in the making, one of the best young FEs I have memory of." - 95 Points, Vinous

"The 2015 Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile is clear and intense but highly refined on the nose that perfectly blends mineral with concentrated lemon and smoky flavors. Round, concentrated and very elegant on the palate, this is a slightly sweeter than normal Riesling, but it is highly finessed, well-structured and perfectly salty with a long and tension-filled finish. Fine tannins reflect the limestone/marl terroir of the Geisberg Grand Cru with the southeast-facing Osterberg Grand Cru. The 2015 will not go on the market earlier than 2022." - 95 points, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Producer: Trimbach

Country: France

Region: Alsace

Varietal: Riesling

Appellation: Alsace 

Vintage: 2015

Size: 750ml