2019 Riesling Frederic Emile, Trimbach

Cuvée Frédéric Emile is Trimbach's grand statement in Riesling, named for the ancestor who set the house on its modern path in the 19th century. The fruit comes from two grand cru sites, Geisberg and Osterberg, on the slopes above Ribeauvillé — though the family famously bottles it under its own name rather than the grand cru label, a quiet flex of confidence.

The 2019 is a wine of real pedigree, and it's built for the long haul. Made bone-dry in the unwavering Trimbach style, it needs time; released young, it's only just clearing its throat.

The nose is intense and complex — lime and lemon sherbet, jasmine and anise, white peach and chamomile, all wound through with a fine mineral, chalky thread. On the palate it's medium to full-bodied, deeply concentrated and structured, with a long, taut, energetic finish. There's ripe fruit here, but it's held in a cage of acidity and stone. This is serious Riesling.

At around £58 it's an investment in one of Alsace's benchmark wines. Drink a bottle now to see where it's headed, but the real reward comes from cellaring it — it will keep evolving for two decades and more.

How to Serve

Serve at 10–12°C in a large white wine glass, and give a young bottle time in a decanter to open. Older bottles reward patience and a proper glass.

Where to Drink It

Wiltons for a grand old-school dinner. Noble Rot for a list that takes Riesling seriously. The Ritz restaurant for an occasion.

Food Pairings

Roast turbot or a whole poached salmon suits its weight. It's also magnificent with a mature Comté at the end of a meal.