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Tag Archives: alsace

TN: Schoffit 2006 Chasselas Vielles Vignes (Alsace)

Nice enough to start – yeasty/peachy almost botyrized fruit nose, and some pleasant spice and acid firming up a rather weighty body. But about 10 seconds after swallowing, it coats the mouth with a combination of rotting apples and wet cardboard. Something’s wrong here, and it’s not pleasant. ($19, Beltramo’s)

TN: Trimbach 2004 Riesling

Corked.

TN: Ostertag 2005 Les Vieilles Vignes de Sylvaner

Yeasty bread and wet stone nose make promises that the wine can’t deliver. It tastes an awful lot like sucking on an apple Jolly Rancher, with a long, long finish just like the candy. I don’t think this works for me.

TN: Trimbach 2004 Riesling

Powerful spine of acidity, with stern mineral and lean, intense yellow fruit. This is a wine that’s not messing around. Damn good. ($16)

TN: Domaines Schlumberger, 2000 Riesling “Les Princes Abbés”

Some nice minerally fruit here, but a little faded fruit and a little flat. Needs just a bit more zest.

TN: Domaine Roland Schmitt 2005 Riesling Glintzberg (Alsace)

When first poured and tasted, this seemed unfocused and dilute. But with a little time, it completely flip-flopped for me, becoming a deliciously intensely minerally, driven white.

TN: Marcel Hugg 2005 Gewurztraminer (Alsace)

Orange zest, bread dough (I don’t think that’s just from my hands – I’ve been baking), and a quiet little bit of wet stone nose. Slightly spritzy, slightly volatile, pleasantly acidic for the variety. Not saying anything profound but pleasant to sip.

TN: Hugel 2005 Gewurztraminer “Hugel”

Clean, soft, pleasant Gewurz spoiled (for me) by just plain too little acid. I know Gewurz tends not to have enormous amounts, but c’mon, we can have more than this. Maybe I need to switch grapes and drink Torrontes instead.

TN: François Baur 2002 Riesling Grand Cru Brand

Spicy Alsace nose. Tart, bracing minerally acidity dries the mouth almost like tannins. Lime and ginger and a bit of gasoline. This is good stuff. (No, not drinking it at 9:44AM…found my tasting notes from a few days ago.)

TN: Trimbach 2003 Gewurztraminer

Lychee and chinese ginger syrup nose. A little heavy (vintage, hey), but surprisingly pleasant when not too cold. Decent spice and flower character. Not jumping up and down over it, but not bad.