Trimbach Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives 37.5cl Half Bottle

Description

Trimbach Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives (VT) is a dessert wine from Alsace made from late-harvested grapes.

Maison Trimbach (F. E. Trimbach) is, without question, one of the greatest names in wine-making in the French region of Alsace. Based in the town of Ribeauvillé, the Trimbach family has been involved in wine making over 13 generations. The business was founded by Jean Trimbach in 1626 in Riquewihr and has since moved twice, in the 1840s to Hunawihr and most recently to Ribeauvillé after World War One. Current winemaker (since 1979) Pierre Trimbach was named one of the world’s Top Ten White Winemakers by Decanter Magazine in 2006. Trimbach owns many vineyard located around Ribeauvillé (with predominantly limestone soils) but they also act as a negociant for local growers. Although most of their top wines come from Grand Cru vineyard sites, Trimbach does not use the Alsace Grand Cru designation for any of their wines (Edit 23/01/18: I see that Timbach have release some small amount of Grand Cru wines from Riesling Grand Cru Geisberg in 2009 and 2011 and Riesling Grand Cru Schlossberg in 2014).

Vendanges Tardives wines in Alsace are restricted to four noble grape varieties of the region – Muscat, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer – and these wines are subjected to some of the French most stringent wine laws. The grapes for Vendanges tardives wines are picked last of all, and only from the best vineyard plots in the best vintages. The grapes are always over-ripe and often affected by noble rot, or Botrytis cinerea. Unlike most Alsace wines, they contain residual sugar which gives high viscosity and a honeyed quality. However their great richness is balanced by fresh fruity acidity which does not only  confers exceptional length on the palate but also prevents the wines from being cloying.

Trimbach Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives is made from late harvested, hand-selected botrytised (i.e the grapes are affected by noble rot, botrytis cinerea) Gewurztraminer and from the best vineyards. As with all of the top Trimbach wines, it is made in only exceptional years. It has a natural residual sugar of over 80g which harmonises perfectly with the fresh and acidic character.

Vegan and vegetarian friendly wine.