2016 Trimbach Alsace Riesling

2016 Trimbach Alsace Riesling

Vintage: 2016

Region: Alsace, France (From vineyards around Ribeauvillé) 

Winemaker: Trimbach

Varietal: Riesling

Price: $17.97 (Wegmans)

Expert Rating: 93

My Rating: 91

The Review: Hope everyone has been good over the last 2 weeks! After taking a brief unintended sabbatical due to being absurdly busy at work, I am back to once again write about cheap wine. Today's wine is a little more expensive than usual (still only $18), but it is quite delicious and a great example of Alsace Riesling so I wanted to write about it.

Like Beaujolais (see last review), America has a tainted idea of Riesling. We seem to think of it as being horrifyingly sweet stuff. And I'm right there with everyone else. I thought this was the case up until I started really studying wine... Turns out, Riesling is widely considered to be "the greatest grape" and is quite versatile and expressive. I'm still trying to figure out the whole "greatest grape" thing, but I'll let you know when I do. That's not to say that it's not delicious, I just think "greatest grape" might be a bit of a stretch.

Anyways, there are two places that make the most famous Rieslings- Alsace in France (used to be Germany) and Germany. These places have very similar climates, but are not the biggest fans of each other as they have different styles. Alsace Riesling (our wine today) is ALWAYS dry. There is absolutely no residual sugar. The wines are intended to be electric in their acidity and are supposed to showcase the incredible climate and soil of the region (terroir is the word that is used to describe this). German Riesling, on the other hand, is not necessarily dry. Often times, residual sugar is left in the wine in order to add incredible depth, body, and to mellow out some of the acidity. This is a classic German product- big, bold, powerful, over the top. I expect nothing less (the Mosel region is the best example of German Riesling). They're both to be enjoyed for their differences, but obviously, you'll have your preferences. I tend to personally fall on the Alsace bandwagon because I don't typically like sweet things.

So here's the review of the 2016 Trimbach Alsace Riesling. This is a classic, perfect introduction to Alsace Riesling (or Riesling in general if you've also fallen victim to the "sweet crap" concept like I had). There's TONS of citrus on the nose, predominantly Meyer lemon with some lime as well. There's also a nice floral character and a bit of minerality that presents itself as smelling like a damp cave (wet rocks, must, etc.) Perhaps some stone fruit like white peach or apricot as well. I gotta say, the nose is surprisingly complex especially for an $18 wine. It's probably a huge part of what got this wine a 93 point rating. The taste is less complex, but still showcases everything you want in Alsace Riesling. It's very lemony with a massive burst of acidity. This big punch gives way to a delicate and moderately lingering finish that presents elements of minerality and floral notes. Trimbach achieved exactly what they wanted here. This wine was intended to showcase different soil types and locations around Alsace, and it does that perfectly, so kudos Trimbach.

Like I said, this is classic Alsace Riesling and if you like acidic wines, (i.e. Marlborough Sauv Blanc @@@@@@) you have to give this wine (or dry Riesling in general) a try. Drink this wine chilled on a hot summer evening while sitting on a porch reflecting on how great life has been.

drink what you like,

db