Zind-Humbrecht 1990 Pinot Gris Heimbourg “Vendange Tardive” (Alsace) – Brooding and intense, with a sticky metallic paste dominating. It’s intense and acidic along most of the ride, but the finish is pillowy and dissipates rather abruptly. Only very slightly sweet, and some won’t even notice the residual sugar. Like so many wines from this estate, there’s power, and there’s power, and finally there’s power…but what else is there? The first sip is impressive, the last sip is boring. (6/07)
Browse Tag
alsace
TN: Hune are you?
Trimbach 1995 Riesling Clos Ste-Hune (Alsace) – 375 ml. This bottle’s off, showing flat, waxy oxidation and few of the qualities that make CSH special. (6/07)
TN: Blanck fate
![[label]](http://www.blanck.com/img/img_et/67.jpg)
Blanck 2002 Gewurztraminer Altenbourg (Alsace) – Intense, sun-baked varietal topnotes of peach and lychee lead to deeper, spicier, more mineralized strata within. This is big and intense, but it’s also structured, and will age very nicely. Right now, it’s still in a fine, open, youthful state, though bottles here and there are starting to close. Soonish, it’ll need a half-dozen years – at least – to show its stuff. (6/07)
TN: Bach again
Trimbach 2004 Gewurztraminer (Alsace) – Structured, pure, and flavorful, with all the classic gewürztraminer notes paired with fine acidity and a pointed acidic thrust. Delicious. (6/07)
TN: Edel weiss
Boxler 2002 Edelzwicker “Réserve” (Alsace) – Sundried tomato and minerals with a transparent coal character that softens to something sweaty on the finish. It’s big and slightly clumsy, but again that could be the context; the acid’s fine and the weight much more impressive for a blend of this type. Still, this is the lowest end of Boxler’s range, and there’s a reason. (6/07)
TN: Hommage blanc
Trimbach 1996 Pinot Gris “Hommage de Georgette Trimbach” (Alsace) – Molten blended metals, pear juice and huge acidity with a finish that recedes back to purely metallic firmness despite the midpalate crescendo of residual sugar. Contrary to some recent reports from friends, I don’t think this is anywhere near maturity, as it still seems more primary than developed; for example, spice hasn’t really entered the picture as yes. But the structure is as shockingly brilliant as it has always been, and I still expect great things down the road. (6/07)
TN: Gewurz of times
Trimbach 2004 Gewurztraminer (Alsace) – Lithe dried lychee, peach skin and bitter cashew oil with a firm, crisp underbelly. Were this not gewürztraminer, it could almost be labeled delicate. Finely poised and balanced, with the apparent ability to age…though I don’t know how much benefit there will ultimately be. (6/07)
TN: Quick Trim
Trimbach 2004 Riesling (Alsace) – Sharply-delineated and strong. A structure of girders – iron and steel – around which are wrapped ripe but flawlessly balanced metallic apples. Brilliant. (6/07)
TN: All sass
![[vineyard]](http://www.kuentz-bas.fr/images/eich.jpg)
Kuentz-Bas 2004 Alsace (Alsace) – Fully-knit, showing light mineral spice, pear skin and good acidity underneath a thin but dense layer of weight. This is probably peaking right now; Alsace in précis. (6/07)
TN: Hune are you?
Trimbach 1995 Riesling Clos Ste-Hune (Alsace) – After aggressive decanting and an hour or so warming and aerating in both decanter and glass, this is only just barely getting off the ground. Not unexpected. What’s discernable: oyster shells collected at the base of a hypercube; all slashing angles and sharp acidity shattering the boundaries of dimension. Grapefruit rind, mineral soda – and eventually, with enough air, watermelon and molten steel – provide the core of a dry, dense, absolutely stunning wine that somehow manages to be full-bodied while wrapped up tighter than a prisoner; it’s simultaneously sharp, delicate, massive and light. The finish seems endless. Intense precision in a glass, this is a wine with amplitude. (5/07)