Frick 2005 Gewurztraminer Rot-Murl (Alsace) An intriguing combination of the deadening weight of an overripe gewurztraminer and the weedy, fetid swamp aroma of an underripe one. Thats an accomplishment. (3/10)
Trimbach 1997 Riesling Cuve Frdric mile (Alsace) Opened after a short run of other producers 97s raised some cause for concern. Well, theres nothing to worry about here. Its rich, and already into its creamy, mature stage, with soft minerality blown through a dusty wind tunnel. A little shy at first, it expands and gains firmness as it aerates. Not a touch of oxidation, and really good. If you own this in quantity, its time to start drinking, but if you dont theres certainly no hurry. (3/10)
Mallo 2002 Riesling Rosacker (Alsace) Salted rocks, banana leaves, and aggressive minerality pushed to the side by over-softening, wimpy residual sugar. The salinity is strident, and there are darker, smokier elements within, but why must such nice raw materials be rendered so spineless? This is at worst a very good, and at best an unparalleled, terroir. Mallos house style is soft and sweet, to be sure, but it serves this wine which could have been great, but instead is merely good very, very poorly. (5/10)
Faller Domaine Weinbach 2000 Gewurztraminer Cuve Laurence (Alsace) Fat lychee and flower garden. Very lush. This could use a lot more acidity, in my opinion, though this feeling is not shared by others tasting the wine. Its good, but this house can (and usually does) do better with this grape. (3/10)
Boxler 2005 Gewurztraminer (Alsace) Rich, ripe, but not heavy, leaning more strongly on peaches than lychees, with layers of crystalline spice underneath. Just structured enough, though its on the thick side of the norm for this wine. (NB: This is the Chadderdon bottling, carrying no label codethough I dont think theres a differentiator for the gewurztraminer even on the French side of things.) (3/10)
Rolly Gassmann 1998 Gewurztraminer Stegreben de Rorschwihr Vendanges Tardives (Alsace) Not all that sweet, actually. Leaves, dark skins, and structural acidity dominate. Perhaps a bit of weediness? A pleasant kind, if so. Juicy and rather beautiful, though I think it needs drinking. (3/10)
Rolly Gassmann 2003 Pinot Gris Brandhurst de Bergheim Slection des Grains Nobles (Alsace) Sticky and extremely sweet. Sugared apples and some interesting vegetal notes. I tasted this at release and didnt think it had a long future, and I think that was the right call both then and now. In fact, Im a little surprised how fast it has fallen off. (3/10)
Trimbach 1997 Riesling Cuve Frdric mile (Alsace) Opened after a short run of other producers 97s raised some cause for concern. Well, theres nothing to worry about here. Its rich, and already into its creamy, mature stage, with soft minerality blown through a dusty wind tunnel. A little shy at first, it expands and gains firmness as it aerates. Not a touch of oxidation, and really good. If you own this in quantity, its time to start drinking, but if you dont theres certainly no hurry. (3/10)
Mallo 2002 Riesling Rosacker (Alsace) Salted rocks, banana leaves, and aggressive minerality pushed to the side by over-softening, wimpy residual sugar. The salinity is strident, and there are darker, smokier elements within, but why must such nice raw materials be rendered so spineless? This is at worst a very good, and at best an unparalleled, terroir. Mallos house style is soft and sweet, to be sure, but it serves this wine which could have been great, but instead is merely good very, very poorly. (5/10)
Faller Domaine Weinbach 2000 Gewurztraminer Cuve Laurence (Alsace) Fat lychee and flower garden. Very lush. This could use a lot more acidity, in my opinion, though this feeling is not shared by others tasting the wine. Its good, but this house can (and usually does) do better with this grape. (3/10)
Boxler 2005 Gewurztraminer (Alsace) Rich, ripe, but not heavy, leaning more strongly on peaches than lychees, with layers of crystalline spice underneath. Just structured enough, though its on the thick side of the norm for this wine. (NB: This is the Chadderdon bottling, carrying no label codethough I dont think theres a differentiator for the gewurztraminer even on the French side of things.) (3/10)
Rolly Gassmann 1998 Gewurztraminer Stegreben de Rorschwihr Vendanges Tardives (Alsace) Not all that sweet, actually. Leaves, dark skins, and structural acidity dominate. Perhaps a bit of weediness? A pleasant kind, if so. Juicy and rather beautiful, though I think it needs drinking. (3/10)
Rolly Gassmann 2003 Pinot Gris Brandhurst de Bergheim Slection des Grains Nobles (Alsace) Sticky and extremely sweet. Sugared apples and some interesting vegetal notes. I tasted this at release and didnt think it had a long future, and I think that was the right call both then and now. In fact, Im a little surprised how fast it has fallen off. (3/10)