2009 Riesling

What Trimbachs refer to as their “classic” 2009 Riesling – though if they want to insist that one refer to their intro-level wines by that name, why not label them as such? – comes, as usual, from purchased fruit. There is a combination of sage, white pepper, and chalk dust aromatic pungency and textural bite that certainly claims one’s attention, all embedded in a bright matrix of fresh lime and finishing with lift and refreshment. If a bit of ripeness had to be sacrificed for the sake of refreshment and levity, you won’t get any complaint from me given the context of the vintage, not to mention that this wine is already harboring 13% alcohol. It ought to serve well at table over the next 4-6 years, not that anyone is likely to hold onto bottles for that long. “The oenologists were saying in 2009 ‘Oh we have to get approval so that we can add acidity,’ but it was absolutely unnecessary, for us,” notes Pierre Trimbach, who indeed delivered a surprisingly animated collection, albeit one diminished in size by instances of declassification. The Trimbachs compare their 2008s with 1998, adding that there is something of 2001 to them, too. As a group, they are going to further the reputation of wines from this family for rewarding patience. Importer: Esprit Du Vin French Wine Merchants & Select European Estates, 48 Harbor Park Drive, Port Washington, NY 11050; www.edvwines.com

Pale bright yellow. Restrained aromas of ginger, caraway seed, underripe pineapple, flowers and crushed stone, with a riper note of peach emerging with air. Dense, juicy and penetrating, with good texture and weight for a basic bottling. Finishes a bit warm, but there's no shortage of flavor here.

Perfumed, something a bit rubbery and reductive lurking on the nose. Hard acid, but not aggressive, and the length is very good. Austere and standoffish, so would be better left alone for a few years to develop and soften. Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com