Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile 2019 is a powerful, bone-dry Alsace Riesling with intense citrus and peach fruit, striking chalky minerality, and firm structure. Concentrated, saline, and tightly wound, it’s built for long aging and will shine best after several years in the cellar.

James Suckling | JS 97
Published: Dec 30, 2024

This great dry Alsace riesling has hugely generous, irresistible aromas of fresh and candied citrus fruit, together with white and yellow peaches. Very chalky and concentrated on the medium- to full-bodied palate. The very long, deeply structured finish makes it plain that this masterpiece is just beginning to give its best! From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.

The Wine Advocate | RP 96
Published: Feb 6, 2025
Drink: 2040-2060

The 2019 Riesling Frédéric Emile is precise and savory on the nose, blending the ripe and intense fruit of the Geisberg with a rather coolish and purely mineral or rocky tone of the Osterberg (?) that is reminiscent of melting salts. Tight and with lots of tannins on the palate, this is a full-bodied, highly energetic and vivacious Riesling with a long and tensioned as well as complex finish that pairs the ripe and dense fruit with structural elements to create something new and impressive. It's very long and saline yet still too tight to be opened today. 14.1% stated alcohol. Tasted at Trimbach in November 2024.

We published reviews of 18 vintages of the iconic Riesling Clos Sainte Hune in one of the last issues, including the latest from 2019, which has been cultivated in the grand cru Rosacker for 100 years. Beyond that, and as always, I tasted a pretty wide range from vintages here in spring and in late autumn last year. All the crus, whether grand cru or not, are of superb quality. The 2020 Gewürztraminer Muehlforst is a Best Buy; the 2020 Pinot Gris Grand Cru Osterberg is one of the finest Pinot Gris I tasted in Alsace last year; and the Riesling cuvée Frédéric Emile, no matter if the 2018 or 2019, should be seriously considered as a wine to purchase.

Trimbach.fr

Exposed south and south-east, the Grands Crus Geisberg and Osterberg terroirs of Ribeauvillé which overlook the estate have given birth to this wine for several generations.

The average age of the vines, around 45 years, offers limited yields.

The marl-limestone-sandstone and shell limestone composition of the terroir (Muschelkalk), as well as the well-ripened grapes strictly selected by hand, give this wine a remarkable personality: a dry and powerful Riesling, underlined by a mineral note and with finely chopped acidity.

Prestigious signature of the house, the Frédéric Emile, often nicknamed FE or Freddie, is sought after by connoisseurs and collectors.

Pairings : great gastronomy, noble fish, caviar, fine white meats.

Aging potential : the great vintages of Frédéric Emile mature for twenty years or more.