2007 Gewurztraminer Reserve

Not produced in 2006 or 2003. A selection of grapes around Ribeauvillé – different terroirs but selected grapes to make an extravagant wine. Talcum powder on the nose. Very rich, with a note of cloves. Full and very, very rich – within the canon of Trimbach style – so no obvious RS at all. Powerful. Hint of lemon peel but overall a richly spicy complex mouthful already, This probably won't close up, Jean T thinks. Will release in 2010 – though already quite delicious. 'Gewurz never closes up, unlike Pinot Gris and Riesling.' (JR)

Yellow-straw color. High-pitched, perfumed aromas of lichee, cinnamon and cured meat. More delicate and less fat than the basic bottling, delivering more finesse but less obvious flavor impact in the early going. Still, this is juicy and classic gewurztraminer with a subtle minerality and a bit of finishing tannin. I suspect the mass market will like the regular bottling as much as this one.

Brown-spiced, pungently pickled watermelon rind comes to mind from the aromas of Trimbach’s 2007 Gewurztraminer Reserve, along with more predictable rose petal. Its substantial palate suggests pork rind and litchi and displays an unusual sense of juicy freshness. This finishes with formidable persistence of brown spices, wood smoke, citrus rind, and above all a for this grape remarkably panoply of salt, chalk, and stone mineral nuances. By the time it is released (probably not until next year) it will probably have gained yet more complexity, and it should keep well for at least a decade. ||”The yeasts were very efficient in 2007,” notes Jean Trimbach, pointing to a collection of wines several of which are below one gram in residual sugar. The grapes and people did good work, too: I cannot recall a collection at this address that was more consistently fine. Only three special bottlings were essayed by Trimbach in 2006, all Riesling, of which the Frederic Emile and Clos Ste. Hune are among the high points of this vintage in Alsace. eRobertParker.com.April, 2010