2011 Pinot Gris Reserve Personnelle

Between myself and a couple of Trimbachs, the consensus is that their 2011 Pinot Gris Reserve Personnelle marries characteristics of its 2000 and 2008 counterparts, and that is a an impressive credential. (I can’t wait to get my hands on the about-to-be-released 2008.) Truffled foie gras in the glass mingles with intimations of peach and citrus in anticipation of precisely the mingling of decadent richness and lusciously bright fruit that follows on a firm but polished palate. Juicy pear and subtly smoky, bitter-sweet nut oils add allure to a long, interactively complex finish. Look for this beauty – when we can finally purchase it in another three years – to perform superbly through at least 2025. ”When it came to our own vineyards, we got only 50-55 hectoliters per hectare in 2011,” notes Pierre Trimbach of a generally abundant Alsace vintage. “We started picking already around September 10th,” he continues, “thanks to a hot, dry August and September. There was no rain until October 19, just after we finished picking.” While the Trimbachs express understandable delight with their iconic Rieslings from 2010, they bottled no Pinot Gris Reserve Personnelle and only a single wine from Gewurztraminer. “The quantity was so small, that we said ‘one bottling and that’s it,” relates Jean Trimbach. I urge wine lovers to take advantage of those bottling decisions! (What little 2010 V.T. was picked also ended up being blended out.) The Trimbachs’ Riesling line-up has recently grown by several bottlings, including one from the share of Gaisberg that they recently rented long-term from the local convent. From nearly three-decade- old vines in the highest reaches of this Kaysersberg grand cru there will be, beginning in 2012, a Trimbach Riesling Schlossberg. Both of these wines have prompted the family to break with past practice of not referencing any grand cru vineyards on its labels. Importer: Palm Bay International, Boca Raton, FL; tel. (561) 362-9642