F. E. Trimbach

The historic house of Trimbach, one of the most well-respected wine producers in all of France, is based in the beautiful, town of Ribeauville, in the heart of the Haut Rhin region of Alsace. Established in 1626 and passed down from father to son, this family business is now run by dedicated brothers, tenth generation Hubert and Bernard and eleventh generation Jean and Pierre.

We adore the clean, crisp style of Trimbach wines and we have decided to focus on the grape variety which we consider they particularly excel in and which has given them world-wide acclaim, the Riesling. Other wines produced by Trimbach feature on pages 97 and 98, they are truly delicious examples of their respective grape varieties. However, this part of our list is dedicated to their noble Riesling.

This grape variety has a wonderful balance of acidity, making it a superb partner to rich, creamy dishes and the perfect foil for salmon or poulet a la creme.

We commence our tour through this fine grape variety with their regular Riesling from the superb '93 vintage. It has a lovely bright pale colour, glinting with touches of green. Hints of the typical petrol or paraffin that we associate with the classic Riesling show through on the nose. Clean and dry on the palate with a beautifully balanced acidity, mouth filling and powerful with a long aftertaste.

One step up the ladder is the Reserve quality, produced from the best vineyards and from grapes with a higher sugar content which, in turn, produce a higher alcoholic strength. This makes wines which are richer in texture and flavour without becoming sweeter.

Following this is a Riesling named after Frederic Emile Trimbach, who brought world renown to the family name in 1898. Up to that time their wines were held in high repute locally, but were unknown further afield. However, in 1898 the family achieved the highest award at the Brussels International Show and the name of Trimbach has been recognised world wide ever since. Riesling Cuvee Frederic Emile is produced from specially selected grapes in the best vintages and comes from a small vineyard behind Trimbach's winery in Ribeauville. The particular characteristics of this wonderful wine are imparted by the rich mineral content of the chalky soil.

In rare years, the grapes may be left to attain such high sugar levels that fermentation stops before all the sugar has been converted into alcohol. The resultant wines remain with a touch of natural sweetness, unusual in Alsace. 1983 Cuvee Frederic Emile Vendange Tardive is a fine example of such wine made from late picked grapes. Often mistakenly thought of as a dessert wine in our opinion it is at its best drunk alone or as an accompaniment to rich creamy dishes, lobster or crab.

The richest, sweetest and rarest of wines produced in Alsace are undoubtedly the Selection de Grains Nobles. These wines are made like the greatest Sauternes and Barsac from grapes attacked by the Noble Rot which shrivels the grapes leaving only the concentrated natural sugars. These wines are rich and luscious, a sensual but rarely found experience.

To finish, the wine generally regarded as the greatest wine of Alsace, Riesling Clos St. Hune. This tiny vineyard has been in the Trimbach family for two centuries and its one and a quarter hectares produce each year just 7,000 bottles of the most concentrated, pungent and mouth filling Riesling possible. The epitome of the classic oily-rag bouquet, an intoxicating, heady aroma combined with tremendous depth and richness.