Inspired by Maureen’s recent note, I decided to drink the 375th anniversary bottling, and then open a bottle of the regular CFE to drink alongside. The first regular CFE was corked, so I drank the second CFE toward the end of the 375 bottling and then had some left for the next day.
A maturing golden color. Oyster shell, lime, apple, and honeysuckle florals. A richer and broader nose than the regular CFE, but with less lift and sense of grace. This has a great juxtaposition of richness and focus. Bone dry, yet with a richness and ripeness that almost seems a bit sweet. It’s stony, chiseled, and steely on the palate, like licking stones, but stones with ripe orchard fruit, peach pit, lime zest, and florals adding to the whole. Mouthwateringly acidic, with lots of dry extract that is softened by the rounder (in the context of Trimbach) palate presence. A bit more mature than the regular bottling, outstanding for sure, but missing a bit of the wonder and je ne sais quoi of the regular CFE bottling. I think these are both terrific , but for me the CFE just has a bit more magic. (93 pts.)[/list] Posted from CellarTracker
2001 Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile- France, Alsace (9/17/2021)
Drunk along with the 375 anniversary bottling
Decanted and drunk over a few hours, a couple glasses worth left for the next day.
Similar maturing golden color. It’s fresher and more lifted on the nose with oyster shell, florals, and citrus more than other fruit. It’s laser sharp, bone dry, and toothsome on the palate, yet it manages to make a clean rather than broad cut across the palate. Stony, multifaceted, and deep, yet lifted and fresh. It is like drinking like mineral water, or what I could imagine licking rocks in a cold mountain stream would be like. This has a weightless feel that belies its impressive structure and depth. Mouthwatering, stony, almost waxy in its density, yet diamond etched. These beautiful contrasts all coalesce into a greater whole. Finishes clean yet incredibly long. Power with focus. Drinking at early peak. A STGT wine for sure. While the 375 Anniversary bottling has more breadth and richness, this has more detail, harmony, and a Zen sense of effortless beautify. This wine speaks to me. Fantastic. 95
As an aside, it did lose some of the lift, but gained a little (relative) richness the second day. (95 pts.)
Both of these are wonderful wines drinking beautifully right now. I have little fear that either will fade anytime soon, but both are in such a good spot right now, I cannot think of reason to wait longer to enjoy them. Drink now and for some time to come.
November 2013, FE verticale at the domain :
11. Trimbach Riesling Frédéric Emile 2001 : LG17,5/20
Olfaction mûre et profonde, radieuse. Notes de thé earl grey, de pain d’épices, de prunes, de cailloux chauffés par le soleil, …
Ce 2001 à l’acidité conquérante, moins aimable mais plus charpenté que le 2002, brille par ses belles saveurs intégrées. Seule une comparaison côte à côte permettrait d’évaluer les puissances respectives de cette cuvée et du Clos Sainte-Hune sur ce millésime (et ce serait encore mieux à l’aveugle, pour donner toute ses chances à la cuvée assemblant le Geisberg et l’Osterberg, moins rare car produite en quantité 5 fois supérieure à celle du Rosacker, ce qui correspond en moyenne à 30 000 bouteilles par an).
The nose is more apricot pit and orchard fruit than lime zest. It’s floral and stony with a honeyed note. This is deep and structured, combining the richness of the 375 anniversary bottling with the precision of the CFE. Mineral water, with honeyed fruit, balanced by terrific acidic cut, all with near perfectly balanced RS. Depth and breadth matched with with an equal sense of weightlessness. Expansive, deep, and very long on the palate and finish. This has the same sense of effortless beauty that the CFE has. Early peak for me and pretty fantastic.
To boot: a relatively magnificent pairing with a fresh apple tart.
The last glass on day two was, if anything, a bit better. A brilliant wien with a long future ahead. 95+ (95 pts.)