Jean Trimbach from Maison Trimbach in Alsace, France, was in town (Washington DC area) and I had the chance to meet up with him at a winemaker dinner at Open Kitchen in Falls Church. The dinner was booked-out, helped by Annette Schiller from Ombiasy Tours, who had sent out the invitation to her list of Washington DC area winelovers, which has grown considerably over time.
As expected, it turned out to be a fun evening. Jean Trimbach is a wonderful entertainer. The wines of Maison Trimbach are outstanding and paired very well with the delicious food prepared by Open Kitchen Executive Chef/General Manager Christopher Carey and his team of Open Kitchen.
For more on Maison Trimbach, see:
Visiting Jean Trimbach at Maison Trimbach in Ribeauville in Alsace
With Jean Trimbach from Domaine Trimbach, Alsace, at Bart M. Vandaele’s Belga Café in Washington DC
Jean Trimbach and the Wines of Maison Trimbach in Washington DC
For more on Open Kitchen, see:
A German Riesling Dinner at Open Kitchen in Washington DC, USA
Back to the Roots in the Bourgogne: WillaKenzie Estate Wines in Oregon - Winemaker Thibaud Mandet Presented WillaKenzie Wines at Open Kitchen, USA
The Ultra-premium Querciabella Wines and a Taste of Tuscany at Open Kitchen in Virginia, with Querciabella’s Giorgio Fragiacomo
“Wine Ambassador” Klaus Wittauer Presented Austrian Wines at the Embassy of Austria in Washington DC, USA
Trimbach in Alsace
Alsace is one of the several world class French wine regions, which produces many excellent still and sparkling, red and white wines, but above all it is highly appreciated for its unoaked, dry and crisp white wines. They tend to be different from those in the other parts of France: Higher in acidity, sometimes really sour, but always a pleasant experience to have them in the glass. And they go very well with the Alsatian food, which is also unique in France. The famous choucroute you find only there in France. But of course, you find it also in neighboring Germany, for example in Frankfurt am Main. Compared with Germany, which also is famous for its world class dry wines, Alsace wines tend to be drier, more full-bodied and higher in alcohol. Finally, sweeter white wines and red wines play only a minor role in Alsace, but they have a very good sparkling wine, the Cremant d’Alsace.
Alsace sits in the northeast corner of France, sheltered by the Vosges mountains to the west and hard against the German border to the east. The vineyards reach from around Wissembourg in the north to Mulhouse, 70 miles south. Some 12 million cases are produced annually from 32,000 acres of vineyards.
For upcoming ombiasy wine tours, see:
Germany Wine and Culture Tour August 2013
Bordeaux Wine Tour September 2013
Alsace is a fascinating amalgam of the German and French. The end of the 30 Years’ War in 1648 gave Alsace to France. In 1871, at the end of the Franco-Prussian War, Alsace was taken by Germany. After World War I, it was once more part of France — until 1940, when Germany reclaimed it. With the defeat of the Nazis in 1945, Alsace became French yet again — and so it has remained. Wine production in Alsace traces its beginnings to the early centuries of the Roman Empire, when the Romans conquered Alsace and introduced wine.
Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller with Jean Trimbach at Maison Trimbach in Ribeauville in AlsaceOne of the most intriguing characteristics of Alsace wines is that they are bottled under their varietal names, unlike virtually all other French wines. Four grape varieties are considered to be the best:(i) Riesling – like in Germany, the most celebrated grape; (ii) Muscat – often used to produce sweet wines in France, the Alsace version is bone-dry; (iii) Pinot Gris and (iv) Gewurztraminer – Alsace's signature grape. Three other white grape varieties are also grown: (i) Sylvaner – A high-yielding grape, producing a refreshing wine, often used for blends, (ii) Pinot Blanc and (iii) Chardonnay – used only for sparkling wine. In addition, Alsace does have a little red wine made from the Burgundy grape, Pinot Noir. The Alsatian red wines tend to be quite lightweight, but can be delicious and interesting.
Alsace produces wines under three different appellations: (i) Appellation d'Origine Contrôlées (AOCs) for ¾ of the white, rosé and red wines, (ii) Alsace Grand Cru AOC for white wines from certain classified vineyards and (iii) Crémant d'Alsace AOC for sparkling wines. Alsace makes noble-sweet wines, but does not have the same reputation as Germany or Austria for its noble-sweet wines. I like the Edelzwicker from Alsace, which is blend and an easy to drink day to day wine.
Since the creation of the Grand Cru AOC in Alsace, a number of winemakers have however shunned the system. Maison Trimbach is one of the most notable names to do so. The issue Maison Trimbach has with the Grand Cru AOC is that in their view the Grand Cru vineyards in a number of cases have too extensive boundaries.
Domaine Trimbach
“All French 3 star Michelin Restaurants offer Trimbach wines” says Jean Trimbach. This is really impressive and clearly shows what the name Trimbach stands for today: Wines of the highest quality.
Maison Trimbach’s wine-making history goes back to 1626, when Jean Trimbach was recognized as a citizen of Riquewihr in Alsace. From then on, the Maison Trimbach became renowned for its wines. However, it was not until the turn to the 20th century, when, under the leadership of Frédéric-Emile Trimbach, business really took off. Since then, Maison Trimbach has remained a family run business, based in Ribeauville, just a few miles north of Riquewihr, were it all began almost 400 years ago.
Jean and Pierre Trimbach, the 12th generation, are now in charge, with Pierre looking after the wine-making side and Jean after the selling and marketing side of it. The next generation is already involved. Anne, Pierre’s daughter, is with Jean in the marketing branch; inter alia, she is in charge of the facebook and twitter activities.
Maison Trimbach is very export-oriented with more than 85 percent of the production being exported. It is both a domaine and negociant, thus it produces wine sourced from own vineyards (40 hectares) and from lease contracts (60 hectares).
Winemaking Philosophy
Maison Trimbach's vineyards are all situated around Ribeauvillé, where the soils are mainly limestone. The best sites include the Grands Crus Rosacker, Osterberg and Geisberg, but as indicated above, Maison Trimbach is one of the winemakers in Alsace that are staying away from the Grand Cru AOC system, while Maison Trimbach’s Clos Ste Hune, a Grand Cru, is arguably the finest wine of Alsace. In terms of grape varieties, the emphasis is on Riesling, but Maison Trimbach also grows all other classic Alsatian grape varieties, such as Gewuerztraminer.
Jean explains Trimbach’s wine making philosophy: “In the vineyard, the vines are cared for with a restricted approach to the use of chemicals, including insecticides and fertilizers. We ferment at 20 to 21 degrees Celsius in stainless steel tanks and large, wooden barrels. It does not really matter, if a wine is fermented in a tank or a barrel. It is more a question of fitting our needs with what is available. The barrels are smaller than the tanks and therefore the wines we produce in smaller quantities tend to end up in the wooden barrels. We never use new oak. We never do malolactic fermentation. As a rule, we bottle very early to preserve the freshness and the fruitiness. This is what Alsace is all about. The wine then matures in the bottle. The same principle as vintage port. We release wine often only 5 years later. Sometimes we wait up to 10 years.”
The Trimbachs let their wines age in the bottles in the cellar during several years before they release them on the market, especially the grand cru wines, such as the Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile. Wines are tasted frequently and released when deemed appropriate. In fact, the Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile 2002 was released after the 2003 because the younger wine was felt to be ready sooner. "When it comes to great wines, there is no rush, our father said and we keep it that way" says Jean Trimbach.
The Maison Trimbach Wine Portfolio
When I visited Domaine Trimbach, Jean took us through the whole Maison Trimbach wine portfolio. The Trimbach wines come in 4 quality groups: (i) the Classic range, (ii) the Reserve range, (iii) the Reserve Personelle range and (iv) the Prestige and Collection wines.
Trimbach Classic: This is the Trimbach entry level range. These wines represent the traditional, dry, crisp Alsace white wine style and come as Trimbach Pinot Blanc, Silvaner, Gewuerztraminer and Riesling.
Trimbach Reserve: The Reserve wines are made from sections with mostly old vines. These are more complex wines than the Classic wines and can age longer. The Reserve wines come as Muscat, Riesling, Gewuerztraminer, and Pinot Gris. Maison Trimbach is not particularly known for red wines, but they do produce a Pinot Noir Reserve as well as a Pinot Noir Reserve Personelle.
Trimbach Reserve Personelle: The wines of the Reserve Personelle range are from the best terroirs of the estate and not produced every year. These wines will keep for years. There are 3 Reserve Personelle wines: (1) the Riesling Cuvee Frederic Emile, (2) the Gewurztraminer Cuvee des Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre and (3) the Pinot Gris Reserve Personnelle. They are clearly recognizable because of their golden labels. The Cuvée Frédéric Emile is probably the best known Trimbach wine. It is one of the finest wines of Alsace, if not one of the world's greatest white wines.
Trimbach Prestige and Collection Wines: This group comprises (1) the Riesling "Clos Sainte Hune", (2) the Vendanges Tardives wines and (3) the Sélection de Grains Nobles wines, made from Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Gris and Gewuerztraminer. The Clos Sainte Hune is an exceptional terroir, exclusively planted with Riesling, located in the heart of the Grand Cru Rosacker, in Hunawihr. This Clos totals 1.67 hectares and has been in the propriety of the Trimbach family for more than 200 years.
Open Kitchen
Open Kitchen is a farm to table, contemporary American cooking restaurant in Falls Church, Northern Virginia. Since opening it's doors about three years ago the quality of cooking has been consistently on a very high level. The menu boasts fresh, seasonal, and local ingredients and is a reflection of what you see when visiting a Virginia farm. Execution in the kitchen is very creative and done to perfection.
The Dinner
Reception
Alsatian Onion Tart
Pinot Blanc 2009
Delicate straw color with green hues. Rich and concentrated with notes of white flowers and apricot. Great balance of fruit and acidity.
“A perfect combination” said Jean Trimbach.
86 Points, Wine Advocate
First Course
Smoked Sturgeon Terrine with Petite Herb and Radish Salad, Yellow Bell Pepper Vinaigrette
Riesling 2010
Beautiful straw color with green hues. Delicate mineral fragrance with aromas of ginger, caraway seed, pineapple and flowers leading to a clean and dry finish.
87 Points, Wine Advocate
Second Course
Braised Pork Belly with Apricot Mostarda, Wilted Greens and Pork Reduction
Pinot Gris Reserve 2007
Bright, pale gold with aromas of peaches and pears. Full-bodied with ripe, smoky tropical fruit flavors and a long, nutty finish.
88 Points, Wine Spectator
Sweet Finish
Candied Heirloom Baby Beets with Mache, Blue Cheese and Brioche “Soldiers”
Pinot Gris, Hommage a Jeanne 2000
Bright lemon - gold color with aromas of ripe peaches and honey. Rich, creamy and opulent with a remarkable finish.
Jean explained that this is a very unique wine. The Trimbachs chose to pay homage to Jeanne Trimbach, the grand mother of Jean and Pierre, who turned 100 in May 2000. She passed away in 2003.
93 Points, Wine Advocate
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