The place for all things wine, focused on serious wine discussions.

WTN: 1999 Trimbach Riesling Cuvee Frederic Emile

Moderators: Jenise, Robin Garr, David M. Bueker

no avatar
User

Sam Platt

Rank

I am Sam, Sam I am

Posts

2330

Joined

Sat Mar 25, 2006 12:22 pm

Location

Indiana, USA

WTN: 1999 Trimbach Riesling Cuvee Frederic Emile

by Sam Platt » Tue Mar 04, 2014 11:36 am

For some reason my palette has morphed to the point where I find Riesling with any degree of sweetness (yes Bill, even “Dr. L”) almost undrinkable. That is odd considering moderately sweet Rieslings were about the only thing my wife and I drank when we got into this hobby years ago. Now I crave Riesling that would feel right at home in the American southwest.

Picked up the ’99 CFE from a local country club that was selling old stock to free up cellar space. The manager told me that it didn’t sell because the guests thought it tasted like “gasoline contaminated dish water.” I knew I had a potential winner.

1999 Trimbach Riesling Cuvee Frederic Emile

Color: Dark yellow.

Nose: Petrol and lots of it. I’ve opened a couple of these now and there is variation in the extent of petrol on the nose. Just a hint of citrus as it warms in the glass. The petrol note intensifies as the wine come up to temperature as well.

Taste: Absolutely bone dry – white stone, chalk dust, a tinge of lime with a dusty dry finish of light-sweet crude. I really have no idea what light-sweet crude tastes like but it sound better than “petrol.”

I can see how the casual wine drinker would hate this stuff. Even practiced Alsatian Riesling drinkers would may find the ’99 CFE a bit austere, but it hit right where my palate lives at present. It would be interesting for David or the other resident Riesling buffs to give it a try.

A great bargain at the original purchased price of $15 they charged me. I would post in the low cost wine thread but I thought this deserved its own separate note.
Last edited by Sam Platt on Thu Mar 06, 2014 10:06 am, edited 1 time in total.
Sam

"The biggest problem most people have is that they think they shouldn't have any." - Tony Robbins
no avatar
User

Keith M

Rank

Beer Explorer

Posts

1184

Joined

Sat Jan 06, 2007 2:25 am

Location

Finger Lakes, New York

Re: 1999 Trimbach Riesling Cuvee Frederic Emile

by Keith M » Tue Mar 04, 2014 12:26 pm

Sam Platt wrote:A great bargain at the original purchased price of $15 they charged me.
Please tell me that you bought all that was available. Bargains like that don't come along very often!
no avatar
User

David M. Bueker

Rank

Riesling Guru

Posts

34254

Joined

Thu Mar 23, 2006 11:52 am

Location

Connecticut

Re: 1999 Trimbach Riesling Cuvee Frederic Emile

by David M. Bueker » Tue Mar 04, 2014 12:52 pm

Thanks Sam. I've enjoyed the '99 in the past. No bottles left though. I do have a 1999 CSH. That will be opened in the relatively near future.
Decisions are made by those who show up
no avatar
User

Sam Platt

Rank

I am Sam, Sam I am

Posts

2330

Joined

Sat Mar 25, 2006 12:22 pm

Location

Indiana, USA

Re: 1999 Trimbach Riesling Cuvee Frederic Emile

by Sam Platt » Tue Mar 04, 2014 1:11 pm

Keith M wrote:Please tell me that you bought all that was available. Bargains like that don't come along very often!

That I did, Keith. Unfortunately, they only had five bottles to offer. One of the bottles looks like a dud due to seepage, but I wasn't going to quibble.

I also picked up some older Hugel Pinot Gris, Arroyo (Duero), and Guigal Cote Rotie. The most I paid for any single bottle was $34.
Sam

"The biggest problem most people have is that they think they shouldn't have any." - Tony Robbins
no avatar
User

Jim Grow

Rank

Wine guru

Posts

1249

Joined

Sun Mar 26, 2006 11:31 am

Location

Rockbridge Ohio

Re: 1999 Trimbach Riesling Cuvee Frederic Emile

by Jim Grow » Tue Mar 04, 2014 2:19 pm

Hey Sam, you and Luann missed the 1995 CFE I brought to MoCool last year (maybe the year before) and opened in the big cabin for the Noland Bros. and Julia on Fri. I have one remaining and will bring it to some future MoCool to share with you two. Your note reminded me of what my bottle tasted like.
no avatar
User

Dale Williams

Rank

Compassionate Connoisseur

Posts

11125

Joined

Tue Mar 21, 2006 4:32 pm

Location

Dobbs Ferry, NY (NYC metro)

Re: 1999 Trimbach Riesling Cuvee Frederic Emile

by Dale Williams » Tue Mar 04, 2014 2:34 pm

Nice find! I drank my last 750 a year ago,
Probably best showing I’ve ever had of this wine- 1999 isn’t a wow vintage at Trimbach, but this is getting pretty "wowwy." Just a bit tight at first, it opens after an hour and stays open. Lemon/grapefruit and a hint of ginger, some petrol with air. Balanced acids, voluptuous without being heavy, quite pleasing. A-
I have one mag left

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 8 guests

Powered by phpBB ® | phpBB3 Style by KomiDesign