We have been knee-deep in doing inventory this week but no complaints here because when you’re putting your hands on every bottle, you invariably find orphaned ones just begging to be opened which just might rock your world. So we had a mental list going of wines we were going to try later on. A few hundred bottles and pages of spreadsheets later, our member Norman A walked in and AJ wasted no time decanting a 2002 Trimbach Clos St Hune Riesling and rightfully so… this wine was tightly-wound with razor sharp acidity and tangy salinity, it needed a lot of air. I loved this wine more for its potential than where it currently is in its life. Clos St Hune’s quality is undeniable; tremendous structure, impressive focus and intensity and unbeatable length. Layered notes of lime peel, stony minerality, flint and chamomile dominate the nose and the very dry palate. Lime pith on the finish. I think this needs more time in bottle for the very high acid to mellow down and for the palate to open up. This is definitely an exciting bottle to watch… maybe in another five or ten years.
Simon followed up with the 1983 Trimbach Gewurztraminer ‘Cuvee des Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre, one of the orphaned bottles in the cellar, which turned out to be oxidized. The cork didn’t look good, the wine was tawny-brown with flavors of walnuts and raisins. It was flat and blowsy on the palate with a short finish. Too bad.
But Simon is not one to give up easily so he marched to the cellar and pulled another bottle from our list of orphans: 1983 Domaine Willm Gewurztraminer ‘Clos Gaensbroennel Willm’ from the grand cru vineyard of Kirchberg de Barr. This was a fully mature wine with an intense bouquet of marzipan, orange marmalade, tangerine, orange blossom, apricot jam and dried dates and a palate that was dry, luscious and rich with enough acidity to keep this wine from being cloying. This wine got me on the initial nose; simply loved that marzipan/almond paste notes. Definitely drink up now.
