The 2019 Riesling Frédéric Emile is precise and savory on the nose, blending the ripe and intense fruit of the Geisberg with a rather coolish and purely mineral or rocky tone of the Osterberg (?) that is reminiscent of melting salts. Tight and with lots of tannins on the palate, this is a full-bodied, highly energetic and vivacious Riesling with a long and tensioned as well as complex finish that pairs the ripe and dense fruit with structural elements to create something new and impressive. It's very long and saline yet still too tight to be opened today. 14.1% stated alcohol. Tasted at Trimbach in November 2024. We published reviews of 18 vintages of the iconic Riesling Clos Sainte Hune in one of the last issues, including the latest from 2019, which has been cultivated in the grand cru Rosacker for 100 years. Beyond that, and as always, I tasted a pretty wide range from vintages here in spring and in late autumn last year. All the crus, whether grand cru or not, are of superb quality. The 2020 Gewürztraminer Muehlforst is a Best Buy; the 2020 Pinot Gris Grand Cru Osterberg is one of the finest Pinot Gris I tasted in Alsace last year; and the Riesling cuvée Frédéric Emile, no matter if the 2018 or 2019, should be seriously considered as a wine to purchase.(SR)

The 2019 Riesling “Cuvée Frédéric Émile” from Maison Trimbach is a touch lower in octane than the straight Geisberg bottling in this vintage, as the Fred comes in at an even fourteen percent alcohol. The wine’s aromatic constellation is pure and precise, wafting from the glass in a mix of pink grapefruit, tart orange, white flowers, chalky minerality, menthol, lemon peel and already hints of the salty elements that will come to define the soil signature with extended bottle age. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and very precise, with a rock solid core of fruit, superb mineral drive and grip, a lovely girdle of acidity, seamless balance and a very, very long, complex and vibrant finish. This is an absolutely classic vintage of Cuvée Frédéric Émile in the making. Due to global warming, it is more accessible out of the blocks than vintages from the 1980s used to be in their youth, but will age every bit as long and gracefully. Great juice. 2026- 2075.