2011 Trimbach "Cuvée Frédéric Émile" Riesling Alsace

“The Trimbach family’s 2011 vintage of Cuvée Frédéric Émile is just starting to blossom in magnum, and I have to expect that it is now in its plateau of peak drinkability in regular sized formats. The bouquet of the 2011 magnum is beautiful, offering up a precise and vibrant constellation of apple, pink grapefruit, a beautiful base of stony minerality, a lovely touch of petrol, white flowers, beeswax and a topnote of lemon zest. On the palate the wine is bright, fullbodied, focused and has a rock solid core of ripe fruit, with superb mineral undertow, zesty acids and a long, complex and bone dry finish. This vintage comes in at fourteen percent octane, so this is a fairly powerful example of Cuvée Frédéric Émile, but it is elegant, pure and low fat at the same time. Fine juice.” (09/2021)

“For a seven-year-old dry white, this has great vitality. The more air it gets, the more candied-citrus, pear and dried-herb aromas emerge. Although the wine's frame is on the sleek side, there's serious concentration. The finish is very long with a cascade of herbal and mineral notes.” (05/2018)

“Trimbach’s 2011 Riesling Cuvee Frederic Emile leads with a fascinating nose mingling quinine and smoky black tea with the more usual lime, white peach and crushed chalk. Silken-textured and generously juicy, with hauntingly bittersweet inner-mouth floral perfume, it opens-up in an infectiously juicy manner one seldom expects from youthful exemplars of this cuvee, thus drinking-well before one is able to purchase it! Lentil sprout, peach kernel, and almond oil add to the diversity of flavors already intimated on the nose in a superbly sustained, bell-clear and invigorating as well as surprisingly and delightfully buoyant finish. (DS)” (08/2014)

“This is a blend from the Trimbach family’s holdings in Geisberg and Osterberg, two grand crus in their hometown of Ribeauvillé. One is planted in limestone and sandstone, the other in muschelkalk, the vines averaging 45 years of age. While 2011 is not the most structured or long-lived vintage, this wine shows no signs of letting up. There’s gentle sweetness to the caramelized apple and fresh pear flavors, lasting with delicacy, purity and clarity.” (08/2020)

“Lovely spice and smoke notes lead the way in this firm, linear white, accenting poached apple, chopped almond, dried thyme and lemon pith flavors on the harmonious palate. (AN)” (11/2017)

“Pale straw-green. Minty green apple, jasmine and minerals on the enticing nose. Bright flavors of green apple and ripe citrus fruits are joined by stone fruits and minerals on the long finish. Has enough acidity to maintain clarity and cut. According to Pierre Trimbach, this is on a par with other great recent vintages for this bottling. (ID) 92+” (11/2012)

“Keeping to the same region and grape variety, I chose a 2011 Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile from Domaine Trimbach. The nose is driven by Granny Smith apples that intermingle with yellow plum and subtle jasmine aromas. It is nicely defined, though it was given a run for its money by Mittnacht’s Riesling. The palate is poised, with fine acidity and bite, moderate length and a mineral-driven, slightly petrolly finish. (NM)” (10/2020)