This famous Riesling comes from the choice slopes of Ribeauvillé overlooking the Trimbach winery. The exposure is south and southeast. The vines' high average age of some 30 years ensures low yields and concentrated fruit. The clay-limestone soil contains a high proportion of fossil-flecked muschel-kalk, which bangs out all that is best in the Riesling.

Cuvée Frédéric Emile is made solely frm very ripe grapes, picked selectively at the end of the harvest. Dry and firmly-structured, but very fruity, this multifaceted wine owes its great depth of flavour to the combination of Riesling grapes with ideal soil. After a few years in bottle it reveals a fascinating mineral nuance. This long-lived Riesling bears the name of our great ancestor, Frédéric Emile Trimbach. It is prized by connoisseurs for its breed and finesse.

TRIMBACH RIESLING 2001 « CUVEE FREDERIC EMILE »

Appelation : Appelation Alsace Controlée.

Vineyard sources : Grands Crus Geisberg and Osterberg in Ribeauvillé. South and south-east exposure.

Soil : Very stony argilo-calcaire over base of sandstone. 250 to 350 meters above sea level.

Production : 3500 case.

Pruning ; Double Guyot.

Yield :45 - 50 hl / ha.

Density of planting : 5500 vines per hectare.

Age of the vines : average 40 years old. Oldest planted over 60 years ago.

Fermentation vats : temperature controlled stainless steel.

Fermentation temperatures : 20 degrees Celsius

Malolactic : no malolactic fermentation.

Winemaker : Pierre TRIMBACH, 12th generation.

Bottling : Following spring, exclusively Domaine bottled.

Comments :

Riesling « Cuvée Frédéric Emile » is not produced every year, only when the TRIMBACH Family believes that the quality of the grapes is high enough to give birth to this wine. All the growing season was perfect during this vintage and the grapes were picked at very good quality level, at 13,0 % natural potential alcohol. We saw in 2001excellent dry extracts.

Thank’s to the beautiful and constant air draft coming from the deep valley just behind Ribeauvillé, the grapes were picked ripe and in very healthy conditions. This Riesling is a text-book dry “Frédéric Emile”, classic from our best terroirs of Ribeauvillé, a wine to keep for a few years.

The vinification was obviously still very traditional very much into Pierre Trimbach’s style therefore dry and the wine is now a perfect wine for the pleasures of the gastronomy.

The Trimbach Family picks the Riesling grapes as late as possible in order to achieve maximum ripeness which, in turn, gives optimum depth of flavour and complexity.

The grapes are picked by hand and pressed very gently in a pneumatic press. The juice runs into the cellar by gravity and clarifies naturally prior to fermentation. The juice ferments in stainless steel at controlled temperature for 3-4 weeks. The wine is vinified to complete dryness - no residual sugar. The wine is not oak-aged as the Trimbachs believe that wood gives nothing to their wines, the salient characteristics of which are extreme purity and concentrated fruit. Bottling is early to preserve freshness and wines then bottle-aged before leaving the winery. « Cuvée Frédéric Emile » Riesling need 5 years to blossom and usually ages minimum 20  years.

Tasting notes :

Very attractive already,quite powerfull nose. Full bodied wine with intensity,depth and beautifull mineral flavour.

Rich, ripe acidity in the palate. Great personality and finesse. Full of character already after nearly 4  years of bottle-aging.

Ageing potential : 20 + years. Potential equivalent to the previous great vintages.

Serving Suggestions :

Delicious with fish, poultry and veal.

Sea scalopps, turbot, salmon, Dover sole and wallye-pike are great companions. Great with lobster as well.

Grilled fishes, or marinated fishes or fishes cooked in white wine sauces.

Traditionally served in Alsace with goose and Alsacian meats.