gewurztraminer.gif (12162 octets)

 

 1998 Trimbach, Gewurztraminer - Alsace  - France

Gewurztraminer is often misunderstood and perceived as sweet. Well, this dry version from the house of Trimbach in Alsace is a classic example of deliciously dry, full flavoured, aromatic and spicy Gewürztraminer at its very best.


A_Logo_Trimbach.gif (34348 octets)

The house of Trimbach is based in Ribeauvillé, Alsace. The family tradition has been proudly maintained from father to son through twelve generations of great wine-makers. Today, Hubert and Bernard Trimbach are at the helm, ably assisted by Bernard's sons, Pierre and Jean.
The Trimbach family supervises every single operation, from planting and vinification to selection and bottling. Their skill and integrity are widely respected. The "Trimbach style" is seen all over the world as a symbol of Alsatian excellence, The Gewurztraminer variety really comes into its own in Alsace exhibiting the full flavour of the grape.

Its wines are full, balanced, and very aromatic. The Trimbach Gewurztraminer is dry and shows classic restraint, without any loss of the Gewurztraminer’s exotic, spicy character.

Year:

1998

Price:

£11.49

Type:

White

Varietal:

Gewurztraminer

Body:

Medium

Complexity:

 Complex

Dryness:

 Dry

Description:

 Generous and balanced with an
attractive nose of rose petals
and honey with an edge of
apricots. Delicious, concentrated
and very, very nice!!

Alcohol:

 13%

Residual Sugar:

 2.8

Total Acidity:

 6 grams/litre
History
The story of Maison Trimbach began in 1626 when Jean Trimbach settled in Riquewihr and established the family wine trade. By the time Louis XIV visited Alsace in 1673, the Trimbach family was well established as a wine producer.
The business prospered in Riquewihr despite the turmoil caused by the French Revolution, First Republic and Bonapartist expansionism.
Jean-Frédéric Trimbach, born in 1811, was appointed Gourmet of Hunawihr, a position designed to protect the quality of wine exports.
 

Vineyards in Alsace, France
He transferred the Maison Trimbach business to Hunawihr, where he served as mayor for many years. The original Trimbach house in Riquewihr was sold to (and is still occupied by) the Hugel family wine business.
Jean-Frédéric and his son, Frédéric-Emile remained dedicated to the production of high quality wine. Frédéric-Emile traveled extensively to promote the wines and in 1898 received the Certificate of Highest Quality at the Brussels International Show. With Frédéric-Emile at the helm, Maison Trimbach began bottling its wines in Alsace rather than selling in bulk, providing a new guarantee of quality and authenticity. The contribution of Frédéric-Emile Trimbach was recognized when the family adopted his initials in the firm's official name: Maison F.E. Trimbach. 		French Building

The Trimbachs had secured extensive vineyards in Ribeauvillé, and they needed larger and more modern facilities to continue bottling their own labels. Ribeauvillé also had a new railroad station, which Frédéric-Emile's son, Frédéric-Théodore correctly surmised would help in the marketing of Trimbach wines throughout France and Europe. So shortly after World War II ended, Frédéric-Théodore moved the family firm to its current location in Ribeauvillé.
Frédéric-Théodore was one of the founding members of the Association des Viticulteurs, which formulated laws to prohibit hybrid varietals in favor of the traditional noble types, and to limit vine cultivation to the slopes of the Vosges foothills while uprooting those on the Rhine plain.
Today the tradition of quality continues with the 11th and 12th generations of the Trimbach family. Hubert and his older brother Bernard, along with Bernard's sons, Pierre and Jean, have continued operations and currently produce approximately 80,000 cases of AOC Alsace wines annually.

PRODUCTION
Trimbach produces about 80,000 total cases annually. Winemaker Pierre Trimbach has accomplished this style by beginning in the vineyards. During the winter the vines are pruned severely. In the spring additional passages are made through the vineyards to remove excess buds. In mid-summer excess bunches are trimmed from precocious vines. Those grapes that they source from other growers must meet Trimbach standards of ripeness, flavor, and cleanliness. Pierre will even pay a substantial premium to growers who limit their yields and deliver the highest quality fruit. Thus, the Trimbach family has maintained long term contracts, some providing excellent grapes for several generations.
Once the fruit has arrived at the Trimbach cellars it is gently pressed in one of their modern Bucher bladder presses, then the must is allowed to settle so that any gross lees can be separated from the juice. If necessary, centrifuges may also be used to clarify the must.
Depending on the origin of the grapes and the volume of juice, the must is then transferred downstairs into stainless steel tanks, glass - lined vats, or large wooden foudres for a slow, cool fermentation. Alcoholic fermentation proceeds naturally at 20 degrees Celsius, and the Trimbachs make no effort to induce the malolactic fermentation. They believe that this is essential for preserving the fresh natural acidity of the wines and maintains their ability to age for many years. After fermentation the wines are allowed to rest in tank briefly, are fined, and then bottled early so as to preserve the freshness of the fruit.
The Trimbach philosophy is to hold the wines for at least a year before they are released to the market, and in the case of the single vineyard Cuvées the wines are not released until four or five years after the harvest. This is a major investment in inventory by the Trimbachs, but obviously one which benefits their customers by ensuring that the wines are aged properly before being consumed.