Weinbach 1998 Riesling Schlossberg Cuve Ste-Catherine (Alsace) Shockingly advanced. Very dark, and showing something thats not quite oxidation (aside from the usual oxidative character that imbues really old wines), but rather the dusty creaminess of a much older riesling. The metallic edginess of the vineyard is still present, but starting to be overwhelmed by the aged characteristics. I doubt this is a typical performance for this wine, and though I dont know where to place the blame for the quick maturity (heat damage is unlikely, cork failure is more likely), those who own it in quantity might want to check on a bottle, just to be sure. (5/10)
Boxler 2007 Pinot Blanc (Alsace) Spiky and disjointed, the acid/fruit/sugar combo completely skewed towards chaos. Not much spice, a lot of eroded minerality, and a powerfully imbalancing alcoholic heat that eventually overwhelms the wine. Heres something I didnt think was possible: a Boxler wine by which Im actively repelled. This could come from Carneros, or somewhere hotter. (5/10)
Trimbach 1989 Riesling Cuve Frdric mile (Alsace) By a fair margin the worst bottle of this Ive had. Concentrated and full-bodied, but its a body comprised of not much other than beige mineral weight. It grows intensity over a few hours, and maybe theres a faint suggestion of browned-out fruit, but not much else. Whatever the usual state and quality of the wine (which have, in turn, been vibrant and considerable), this bottles past it. (5/10)
Zind Humbrecht 1997 Pinot Gris Hunawihr Clos Windsbuhl (Alsace) Very sweet, as befits the vintage. Intense pear syrup and spice jacketed in metal plate armor. A touch hot and short also unfortunate vintage artifacts but this is holding on better than many of its fellow 97s, especially given the grape. Drink up, though. (7/10)
Loew 2009 Premires Vendanges de Marguerite (Alsace) This is sylvaner rouge, which Ive not had before and dont expect to have very often in the future. Which might be a shame, because I think the green tomato/herbal edge of sylvaner (which gains an intriguing weight from good Alsatian sites) is expressed to nice effect in this pinkish guise. In addition to those herbs and tomatoes, theres big acidity, tangerine, and a light edge of tannin. Intriguing. (5/10)
Binner 2007 Les Saveurs (Alsace) Supple and appealing, though of course theres the mushy, unfocused quality common to most Alsatian blends. But this has a nice spice, texture, and lift (not VA-derived) to it. (5/10)
Josmeyer 2000 Riesling Hengst Samain (Alsace) Corked. (5/10)
Trimbach 2007 Riesling R (Alsace) I dont know what this wine is, Ive neglected to ask while at Trimbach, and Ive only ever had it at the Grand Central Oyster Bar. I presume theres some sort of differentiation between this and the yellow-label ngociant riesling, but if there is all I can identify about it is that this is a little more mediocre. Still dry, still bony, still mineralistic and firmly-structured, but also somewhat wan. (5/10)
Trimbach 2004 Pinot Gris Rserve (Alsace) This was always a concentrated, vibrant vintage for this wine, but the first signs of unraveling are apparent in this bottle, as the metal-jacketed spiced pear begins to separate into its three components, without the cohesiveness that has been a signature of the wine since release. Drink up, I think. (5/10)
Trimbach 2001 Riesling (Alsace) Tiring. Notired. (5/10)
Trimbach 2006 Riesling (Alsace) Wet iron, apple skin, lots of juicy and balanced acidity. Simpler than normal. Perhaps not their best work. No, this is never actually comparable with their domaine-sourced wines, but theres a lack of nerve here. (6/10)
Albrecht 2006 Pinot Blanc Cuve Balthazar (Alsace) Completely oxidized, a victim of its Nomacorc. (5/10)
Trimbach 2006 Pinot Blanc (Alsace) From a bottle opened 24 hours earlier and mostly consumed. Apricot and dry, vaguely citrusy stuff. Some minerality showing, perhaps a little more than usual. Fair enough. (5/10)
Trimbach 2004 Pinot Gris Rserve Ribeauvill (Alsace) Drinking really well, but the period of its drinking needs to come to an end soonish, because the metal-jacketed spiced pear as consistent an organoleptic characteristic as one will ever find is being decided in favor of the metal-jacketing, which is a sign that the wines about to enter its declining years. No stupendous hurry, but still: drink up. (6/10)
Trimbach 2006 Pinot Blanc (Alsace) Fuzzy and maturing, which is a good thing here; the primary apricot zing has coppered and rounded. Matters fall off on the finish, though. Its still a light, small wine, but its more interesting than it was. Drink up. (5/10)
Boxler 2007 Pinot Blanc (Alsace) Spiky and disjointed, the acid/fruit/sugar combo completely skewed towards chaos. Not much spice, a lot of eroded minerality, and a powerfully imbalancing alcoholic heat that eventually overwhelms the wine. Heres something I didnt think was possible: a Boxler wine by which Im actively repelled. This could come from Carneros, or somewhere hotter. (5/10)
Trimbach 1989 Riesling Cuve Frdric mile (Alsace) By a fair margin the worst bottle of this Ive had. Concentrated and full-bodied, but its a body comprised of not much other than beige mineral weight. It grows intensity over a few hours, and maybe theres a faint suggestion of browned-out fruit, but not much else. Whatever the usual state and quality of the wine (which have, in turn, been vibrant and considerable), this bottles past it. (5/10)
Zind Humbrecht 1997 Pinot Gris Hunawihr Clos Windsbuhl (Alsace) Very sweet, as befits the vintage. Intense pear syrup and spice jacketed in metal plate armor. A touch hot and short also unfortunate vintage artifacts but this is holding on better than many of its fellow 97s, especially given the grape. Drink up, though. (7/10)
Loew 2009 Premires Vendanges de Marguerite (Alsace) This is sylvaner rouge, which Ive not had before and dont expect to have very often in the future. Which might be a shame, because I think the green tomato/herbal edge of sylvaner (which gains an intriguing weight from good Alsatian sites) is expressed to nice effect in this pinkish guise. In addition to those herbs and tomatoes, theres big acidity, tangerine, and a light edge of tannin. Intriguing. (5/10)
Binner 2007 Les Saveurs (Alsace) Supple and appealing, though of course theres the mushy, unfocused quality common to most Alsatian blends. But this has a nice spice, texture, and lift (not VA-derived) to it. (5/10)
Josmeyer 2000 Riesling Hengst Samain (Alsace) Corked. (5/10)
Trimbach 2007 Riesling R (Alsace) I dont know what this wine is, Ive neglected to ask while at Trimbach, and Ive only ever had it at the Grand Central Oyster Bar. I presume theres some sort of differentiation between this and the yellow-label ngociant riesling, but if there is all I can identify about it is that this is a little more mediocre. Still dry, still bony, still mineralistic and firmly-structured, but also somewhat wan. (5/10)
Trimbach 2004 Pinot Gris Rserve (Alsace) This was always a concentrated, vibrant vintage for this wine, but the first signs of unraveling are apparent in this bottle, as the metal-jacketed spiced pear begins to separate into its three components, without the cohesiveness that has been a signature of the wine since release. Drink up, I think. (5/10)
Trimbach 2001 Riesling (Alsace) Tiring. Notired. (5/10)
Trimbach 2006 Riesling (Alsace) Wet iron, apple skin, lots of juicy and balanced acidity. Simpler than normal. Perhaps not their best work. No, this is never actually comparable with their domaine-sourced wines, but theres a lack of nerve here. (6/10)
Albrecht 2006 Pinot Blanc Cuve Balthazar (Alsace) Completely oxidized, a victim of its Nomacorc. (5/10)
Trimbach 2006 Pinot Blanc (Alsace) From a bottle opened 24 hours earlier and mostly consumed. Apricot and dry, vaguely citrusy stuff. Some minerality showing, perhaps a little more than usual. Fair enough. (5/10)
Trimbach 2004 Pinot Gris Rserve Ribeauvill (Alsace) Drinking really well, but the period of its drinking needs to come to an end soonish, because the metal-jacketed spiced pear as consistent an organoleptic characteristic as one will ever find is being decided in favor of the metal-jacketing, which is a sign that the wines about to enter its declining years. No stupendous hurry, but still: drink up. (6/10)
Trimbach 2006 Pinot Blanc (Alsace) Fuzzy and maturing, which is a good thing here; the primary apricot zing has coppered and rounded. Matters fall off on the finish, though. Its still a light, small wine, but its more interesting than it was. Drink up. (5/10)