Wine & Spirits - August 2020 - 42

YEAR'S BEST ALSACE WINES
the most distinctive wines in Olivier Humbrecht's portfolio, a wine of mineral power
and structural grace, a riesling that captures
the cold winds of spring and delivers them
back in fruit that's brisk and dry. In fact, it's
barely fruity at all, hinting at lemon rind and
grapefruit pith, youthfully submerged in a
mineral bath, needing bottle age to mellow
the crackling acidity and allow the fruit to
come forward. § Kobrand, Purchase, NY

277764

93 | Trimbach

$95

2011 Alsace Cuvée Frédéric Emile Riesling ^ 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. At our socially distant tasting, Whitney Asher of Brava in Lenox, Massachusetts,
commented that "most people would drink
a lot of this wine and start yelling anyway, so
it's fine that we're not sitting close together." §
Taub Family Selections, Boca Raton, FL

Clos des Capucins for this rich and refined
wine. It has cool notes of peach and tangerine, opening with air into honeysuckle and
orange-blossom scents while mineral-tinged
acidity brings it together in a gentle, earthy
brightness. (W&S 10/19) § Vineyard Brands,
Birmingham, AL
277638

92 | Dom. Schlumberger

91 | Domaine Pfister

93 | Domaine Weinbach

$40

2017 Vin d'Alsace Cuvée Théo Riesling ^
The Clos des Capucins is usually the earliest-ripening parcel at the Faller's domaine,
12.5 acres protected by the Schlossberg hill
and warmed by granitic gravels absorbing the heat of the sun. Cuvée Théo references Catherine Faller's father, who ran
the estate until 1979, and her son, who now
works with her, selecting riesling from the
42

WINE & SPIRITS

AUGUST 2020

$55

2015 Alsace Grand Cru Engelberg Riesling ^ A tense young riesling, this is searingly
acidic, with tart lemon intensity, until the
apple flavors juice up the finish. White flower
notes linger past a hint of fusel, the freshness
winning out, suggesting there's time to let
the acidity and fruit integrate. (W&S 12/19) §
Vintage '59 Imports, Washington, DC
277681

91 | Willm

$23

2016 Alsace Grand Cru Kirchberg de
Barr Riesling (Best Buy) ^ The Willm family
founded its estate at the base of the Kirchberg de Barr, a hillside of granite and claylimestone in northern Alsace where they
farm 3.2 acres of vines. This wine is mineralinfused, lean and muscular, with the golden
floral tones of buttercups and honey. It's a
mild white with lovely staying power, smoky
and refined. § Monsieur Touton Selection, NY
277637

90 | Dom. Schlumberger

272715

$36

2017 Alsace Grand Cru Saering Riesling ^
Facing east-southeast on a hill above Guebwiller, the Saering vineyard spreads out into
the valley below. The wine often tastes like
the name, searing in its youthful acidity,
and this vintage is powerfully acidic, but it
is equally rich in fruit-hinting at the pale
tops of strawberries just coming into ripeness. There's some meaty depth underneath,
suiting the wine to porky choucroute. § Maisons Marques & Domaines USA, Oakland, CA
273403

$23

2018 Alsace Les Princes Abbés Riesling
(Best Buy) ^ A terrific vintage from Schlumberger's estate, this includes fruit from
three grand crus in Guebwiller-Saering,
Kessler and Kitterlé. Its savory richness has
more purity and refinement than you might
expect to find in a wine at this price. The cool,
stony minerality, the delicate jasmine scents
and the bright, herbal acidity makes this a
lovely companion for pike quenelles. § Maisons Marques & Domaines USA, Oakland, CA
277762

90 | Trimbach

$100

2016 Alsace Grand Cru Schlossberg Riesling ^ The Trimbach family purchased four
acres of this grand-cru site in 2012, the vines
planted in granitic soils producing a dark and

rooty riesling. What fruit is there is like nectarine and Asian pear just coming into ripeness, while a savory, herbal side of the wine
brings to mind a thyme-roasted chicken. §
Taub Family Selections, Boca Raton, FL
277763

90 | Trimbach

$35

88 | Willm

$23

2017 Alsace Réserve Riesling ^ Sleek in its
cool ripeness, this wine offers fresh scents
of apple and pear along with a hint of jasmine. It's a selection of fruit from vineyards
surrounding the Trimbachs' home village of
Ribeauvillé and it has the effortless grace of
the family's best wines. The lasting fragrance,
along with the crisp apple bite in the end,
makes this a wine for chicken-apple sausages. §
Taub Family Selections, Boca Raton, FL
277680
2018 Alsace Cuvée Emile Willm Riesling
(Best Buy) ^ Bold and juicy, this wine rides
on its glycerol richness with notes of butterscotch and lemon verbena. It's a full style of
Alsace riesling, ready for veal sausages. § Monsieur Touton Selection, NY

S Y LV A N E R
277663

90 | Dom. Camille Braun

$30

2018 Alsace Nature M Comme Sylvaner ^
This is a Demeter-certified biodynamic sylvaner with no added sulfur, an intriguing,
subtly vinous white with gentle, honeyed
apricot and underripe pineapple flavors. It's
tart and sweet, emphasizing its natural credentials with digestibility rather than volatility. Pour it with an Alsace onion tart. § Michael
Corso Selections, Oak Park, IL

WHITE BLEND
277611

93 | Christian Binner

$30

2016 Alsace Côtes d'Ammerschwihr
Amour--Schwihr ^ Cool yellow and orange
fruits meld in this musky, tangy white, a
blend of varieties coplanted in the hills of
Christian Binner's hometown of Ammerschwihr. It lasts with an herbal savor and a
dark fruit tone, giving it a fascinating range.
You could point up the lemon aspects with
seared salmon, or go to the darker currant
flavors with duck à l'orange. § Jenny & François Selections, NY

RED
PINOT NOIR
277645

91 | Domaine Rieflé

$30

2018 Alsace L'Etoffe ad Quadratum Pinot
Noir ^ Domaine Rieflé farms parcels of pinot
https://www.taubfamilyselections.com/producers/trimbach/-cuvee-frederic-emile-riesling http://www.vineyardbrands.com/producer.aspx?id=85
Wine & Spirits - August 2020

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