The Wines of Piedmont – Part One

Posted on July 19, 2025 by thewineraconteur

Who wouldn’t be excited about a wine tasting labeled as “The Wines of Piedmont” especially when it is hosted and curated by The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan.  It was also a tasting where all the wines were affordable, OK, maybe one would need some arm-twisting.  And even as a bonus, I was doing the tasting along with The Wine Raconteur, Jr. and his Bride, though they had started a little before me.

We started the session off with Vite Colte “Aureliana” Gavi 2024; and depending on the market the wine could be labeled as Terre da Vino brand.  The winery was founded in 1980 and is situated below the most prestigious Barolo cru vineyards and the architectural design has been reviewed by many modern architecture periodicals.  The wine is pure Cortese grape and comes from vineyards with alluvial soils with silty clay sediments and interspersed with reddish brown grit.  The grapes are soft pressed, and the must ferments in temperature controlled Stainless-Steel vats, followed by a short aging period on the lees, also in Stainless-Steel vats to maintain the freshness and the fruit.  The soft straw-yellow wine offered notes of green apples, ripe pears, white florals, freshly cut hay and a touch of anise.  On the palate this medium-bodied wine displayed tones of the green apples and pears, well-balanced with crisp acidity and ending with a medium-count finish of fruit and subtle minerality.

We then went with the Vite Colte “Tra Donne Sole” Sauvignon (Blanc) Piedmont 2023 and over the years this wine has carried both the Monferrato DOC and Piemonte DOC.  The wine “Tra Donne Sole” (The Lonely Woman) is named after a work by Cesare Pavese.  The members of Vite Colte ad their families, partners and winegrowers are the cornerstone of a modern winery with a combined goal to maintain the high standards that are part of the Piedmont tradition.  The vineyards for this wine are located in two different areas with different soils and microclimates, and also low yields, and these points are used to create a complex and balanced wine, as the regions ripen at different times.  The earlier vineyard have grapes that are higher in acidity and have class aromas of Sauvignon, while the later vineyard displays tropical fruit.  Ater the grapes are pressed, the juice is allowed to ferment in temperature-controlled Stainless-Steel vats and then the wine rests on the lees for three months until bottled.  A straw-yellow colored wine offered notes of pears, apples, passion fruit, gooseberry, citrus and white florals and grass.  On the palate this medium-bodied, well-balanced wine displayed tones of grapefruit, baked apples, vanilla with a touch of mint and licorice in an unfussy and very easy drinking wine that ended with a medium-count finish of fruit and terroir.

We then tried La Bioca “Cyrogrillo” Rossese Bianco Langhe DOC 2023.  La Bioca is a small winery in the Langhe near Serralunga d’Alba.  The winery has eight hectares of vineyards located in Monforte d’Alba, Novello, La Morra and Barbaresco.   Their first vintage was in 2012.  Rossese is a mildly aromatic red grape variety found in Liguria, and along the Riviera in southern France to the Franco-Italian border.  It is rather rare to be seen on its own, and is often blended with Sangiovese, though a few wineries are staunch supporters of this grape.  There is a mutation of this grape known as Rossese Bianco, the most famous being Rossese di Dolceacqua.  This wine is a blend of eighty-five percent Rossese Bianco and fifteen percent Manzoni Bianco.  The fruit is manually harvested, destemmed, and softly pressed without maceration.  The wine is fermented in temperature-controlled Stainless-Steel tanks, and the two juices are vinified separately on the lees for about five months, and then the two wines are blended about two months prior to bottling.  This straw-yellow wine offered notes of lemon, chamomile, white florals, herbs, cut grass and minerals.  On the palate this light-bodied wine displayed tones of lemon-lime citrus, white pepper, traces of vanilla, good acidity with an oily-like texture and ending with a medium-count finish citrus and terroir.    

Posted in Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Fine Wine Source Club – July 2025

Posted on July 16, 2025 by thewineraconteur

I went to The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan and I was on a mission.  I had to pick up the monthly club wine selections and there was another wine tasting to attend. The wine club not only introduces the members to a wine from the Old World and one wine from the New World.  Also as a member it allows me entry to the myriad of special wine tastings that are offered at the shop.   And as a very happy bonus, I ran into The Wine Raconteur, Jr. and his charming Bride, as they were picking up the club wines and attending the tasting as well. 

The first wine that represents the Old World is from Chateau La Grande Metairie Bordeaux Rouge 2022 from Vignobles Buffeteau.  Vignobles Buffeteau has two estates and has continued growing with four generations in neighboring villages.  They use traditional vinification methods and go out the day before harvest to eliminate unripe or rotten fruit, and then the next day the fruit is mechanically harvested, separating the grapes from the vines while in the plots and done at night to maintain the freshness and aromatics of the fruit.  They installed a new cellar in 2015 with thermos-regulated Stainless-Steel vats, and with a semi-underground ageing cellar with both concrete vats and traditional oak barrels.  The wine is ninety percent Merlot and ten percent Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine underwent Initial Fermentation and Malolactic Fermentation and aging for one year in Stainless- Steel vats with periodic stirring with fining and filtering.  This dark claret wine offered notes of ripe red fruits, spices and herbs.  On the palate this medium-bodied wine displayed tones of black and red cherry, blackberry and currants, with good acidity blended with medium tannins and a medium-count finish of fruit and herbs.

The second bottle represents the New World and is Pisoni Family Vineyards “Lucy” Rosé of Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands Monterey County 2022.  Jane and Eddie Pisoni started farming in the Salinas Valley in 1952; and their pride in being stewards of the land has been taken up by their son Gary and his sons Jeff and Mark.  In 1982, Gary began planting grape vines, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah on the family’s forty acres in three vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands.  Gary created the “Lucy” label and raises funds to support breast cancer research, ocean conservancy and the Big Sur Fire Department.  Rosé wines are either produced through whole cluster pressing or by Saignée, a practice which a proportion of the juice from pressed grapes is bled away in order to concentrate color and tannins.  “Lucy” is produced by combining both processes and is then cellared and aged in neutral barrels for three months, prior to bottling.  Since they began making this wine, they have contributed one dollar from each bottle sold and they have generated over $250,000 for Breast Cancer Research.  The wine is described as being a light salmon in color and offers notes of fresh strawberry, honey dew melon, raspberry, tangerine, lemon and rose petals.  On the palate the wine displays tones of grapefruit, raspberry and minerality in a completely dry and fermented wine with fresh acidity and ending with a medium-count finish of fruit and terroir.    

Posted in Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

And Another Round of Reds

Posted on July 13, 2025 by thewineraconteur

After the special wine tasting of Maison Trimbach at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia Michigan, we went back to the original shop and we were presented with a total of seven red wines.  I wrote about the first three, the fourth will appear when I write about that wine, when we pour it at home, and now for the final three California wines. I know that it is hard work, what I do, for the sake of my continuing education.

We started the next wine with Silver Oak Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2020, which on earlier vintages was labeled North Coast AVA.  Silver Oak Cellars is known for their Cabernet Sauvignon wines.  The winery was founded in 1972 by Raymond Twomey Duncan and winemaker Justin Meyer; and they make two keys wines, one in Alexander Valley of Sonoma, and the other one in Napa Valley, The Alexander Valley wine traditionally was a varietal, and the Napa Valley wine may have some blending with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot; but both now have some blending.  Each has its own dedicated winery, and each location has three vineyards in each valley; and they also have long term grower partnerships in each valley as well.  Silver Oak Cellars is also unique as they own their own cooperage.  The estate vineyards are all located above the fertile valley floor.  Wines undergo an initial blending, according to the vineyard source, into lots which are then aged separately for a year, before being re-tasted.  The wine is aged in a fifty/fifty split of new and once used American Oak barrels and see about twenty-four months in oak, then bottled and they are then cellared for an additional eighteen months before release.  A deep garnet-red wine that offered notes of black cherry, strawberry, raspberry, plums and distinctive notes of sage and thyme.  On the palate, this savory medium-bodied wine displays great textured tones of the black and red fruits, with fresh acidity and tight tannins, ending with a long count finish of fruit and spices.

The next wine was Far Niente Cabernet Winery Sauvignon Napa Valley 2022.  Far Niente Winery began in 1885 by John Benson and is one of the most storied California wineries. Benson was the uncle of the American impressionist painter Winslow Homer and a “forty-niner” during the Gold Rush.  He bought land in Oakville and had a gravity-flow winery built and vineyards planted.  The winery was successful until Prohibition and the winery was abandoned.  In 1979, Gil Nickel bought the winery and adjacent vineyard and began to refurbish them.  Originally the Benson name was kept, until they found a stone inscribed “far niente” from the Italian expression il dolce far niente or “without a care.”  The wine is a blend of ninety-two percent Cabernet Sauvignon, six percent Malbec, two percent Cabernet Franc, two percent Petite Sirah and one percent Petit Verdot.  The wine had skin contact for fifteen days, and after fermentation it was aged for seventeen months in French Oak (sixty-five percent new and thirty-five percent once-used).  The deep garnet wine offered notes of dark cherries, currants, violets, lavender, thyme, baking spices, black tea and toasted oak.  On the palate this full-bodied wine displayed tones of black fruits, mocha, herbs and spices, with rich-balance acidity, firm tannins and ending with a silky, long-count finish of fruit, spices and graphite terroir.   

The final wine of the evening was Opus One Overture Red Wine Napa Valley 2021.  Opus One is one of the world’s most famous wines, and one of the original cult wines of Napa Valley.  The concept began in the Seventies, and the first vintage was released in 1979, between Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Chateau Mouton Rothschild and Robert Mondavi of Napa Valley.  Its fame was sealed when a single case sold for $24,000 at the first Napa Valley Wine Auction in 1981.  In 2004, when Robert Mondavi Winery was acquired by Constellation Brands, Opus One also became part-owned by this multi-national company.  Opus One was the only wine produced by the winery, until 1993, following the tradition of Bordeaux’s famous houses and created a second wine from fruit that didn’t make the cut for Opus One.  Opus One Overture was this second wine and for years, it was a blend of grapes and vintages and was only sold at the winery.  The 2021 vintage was the first year that a single vintage was released.  The wine is eighty-nine percent Cabernet Sauvignon, four percent Cabernet Franc, four percent Petit Verdot and three percent Merlot.  The wine had skin contact for nineteen days and then was barrel aged for nineteen and a half months in new French Oak.  This deep garnet wine offered complex notes of blackberry, cassis, black cherry, currants, rose petals, sous-bois and earthy minerals.  On the palate this full-bodied wine displayed tones of the black fruits, great acidity blended with a velvety texture of tannins and ending with a rich and long-count finish of fruit, with tones of coffee and dark chocolate and terroir.    

Posted in Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

And Then There Were More Reds to Try

Posted on July 10, 2025 by thewineraconteur

After the Maison Trimbach wine tasting at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan in the new addition, we walked back into the original store to be greeted with more wines to taste,  Red wines from both the Old World and the New World.

We started of with Domaine Rene Leclerc Bourgogne Rouge 2022, and if you don’t speak French (and that includes me) it just means Red Burgundy.  Bourgogne Rouge wines received an appellation in 1937, the same as most of the major designations there, and covers grapes grown from over three-hundred communes throughout Burgundy.  Rene Leclerc and now his son Francois are the winemakers and management of this sustainably farmed Domaine.  The Domaine has twelve hectares in and around Gevrey-Chambertin and parts of the Domaine fall into the Bourgogne Rouge appellation.  The Domaine was founded in 1982 and it is on clay and limestone and the ages of the Pinot Noir vines are from twenty to forty years of age.  The fruit for this wine was just outside of the Gevrey-Chambertin delineation.  After the harvest, the grapes are pressed using an antique, manual wooden press, then the juice undergoes a short cold maceration.  Fermentation is completed using indigenous yeast in traditional vats.  After six months the wines are raked into barrels for aging, all in used French Oak, to minimize the oak, for twelve months.  A bright burgundy colored wine that offered notes of red and black fruit, sous-bois, licorice and tobacco.  On the palate this medium-bodied wine displayed tones of young red fruit offering a light mouth with a touch of earthiness, soft tannins and velvety finish with a short to medium count finish of some fruit, some smokiness and terroir.

The next wine we tried was La Bioca Bussia Barolo 2019.  La Bioca is a small winery in the Langhe near Serralunga d’Alba.  The winery has eight hectares of vineyards located in Monforte d’Alba, Novello, La Morra and Barbaresco.  This wine is pure Nebbiolo, and the fruit is hand-harvested, destemmed and cold maceration for a few days.  The wine undergoes fermentation in Stainless-Steel tanks without temperature control for seven days with regular punching down and pumping over: with secondary maceration for twenty-five days.  The wine is then aged for a minimum of eighteen months in oak casks.  A deep garnet colored wine that offered notes of black cherries, blood oranges, violets and a whiff of cinnamon.  On the palate this full-bodied wine displayed tones of black cherries and other black fruit, citrus, and spices blended with velvety tannins, bright acidity and ending with a long count finish of fruit, spices and terroir.    

We then tried Proprieta Sperino ‘L Franc ****** Vino d’Italia-Vino da Tavola 2018 and critics have scored this as one of the top five Italian table wines.  Proprieta Sperino is a winery near the town of Lessona in Piedmont, and most of their focus is on Nebbiolo.  The estate is owned by Paolo de Marchi who inherited the wine from his grandfather, he also owns Isole e Olena, the famed Chianti Classico brand.  Paolo with the help of his elder son, Luca began restoring Proprieta Sperino back to a fully functioning wine estate.  They began in 1999, and by 2006, they released their first vintage, a 2004 release.  This wine is pure Cabernet Franc, from Bordeaux clones, and is grown on a 0.4-hectare Castagnola vineyard, 290 meters above sea level on volcanic soil which at one time was covered by sea and then rose after glacier displacements which created the Alps. The soil is rich in minerals with trace elements including iron, manganese, aluminum and zinc. The fruit is manually harvested, destemmed and gently pressed and gravity fed to fermentation tanks.  Fermentation took place with indigenous yeasts, in open topped wooden fermenters, with maceration lasting for thirty days with regular punching down.  The wine remained sur lie for eighteen months before aging in French Oak (half new) prior to bottling, with additional cellaring of the bottles before release.   This deep garnet colored wine offered notes of black cherry, cassis, raspberry, plum, violets, chocolate, tobacco, graphite and some white pepper.  On the palate this medium-bodied wine with bright acidity displayed tones of dark fruits blended with silky tannins and ending with a long-count finish of dark cherry, herbs and spices, tobacco and terroir.   

Posted in Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Last Three from Trimbach

Posted on July 7, 2025 by thewineraconteur

All good things come to an end, and wine tastings always seem to end to quickly, including this special evening at The Fine Wine Source with Anne Trimbach curating her family’s wines. And this tasting didn’t even get close to all of the offerings from Trimbach.  

The final white wine of the evening was Maison Trimbach Gewurztraminer Alsace 2020.  The fruit for this wine comes from both Trimbach’s estate vineyards and from their partner winegrowers.  The soils date from the Triassic period, on Muschelkalk (shell limestone, dolomite and marl) and from the Jurassic period with limestone and marl; and both vineyards have south to southeast exposure.  The fruit is selected at maturity, manually harvested, then crushed delicately in a pneumatic press.  The juice is then fermented in temperature-controlled Stainless-Steel and concrete vats, with no secondary Malolactic Fermentation or long aging on the lees to maintain the natural acidity, freshness and fruity aromas.  The wine is then bottled in the Spring and then a minimum of two years cellaring before being released.  A soft golden colored wine that offered rich notes of lychee, tropical fruits, rose petals and spices.  On the palate this medium-bodied wine displayed elegant tones of tropical fruits, citrus, ginger, honey in a rather complex and textured wine with crisp acidity that ends with a medium-count finish of sweet and savory along with terroir.

We then had our first red wine, a Maison Trimbach Pinot Noir “Cuve 7” Alsace 2020.  “Cuve 7” owes it name to the number of the vat in which it was first produced and is only produced in exceptional years and comes from the best parcels of the Rotenberg Vineyard in Ribeauvillé.  The soil of the Rotenberg Vineyard is “red irony clay” and calcareous sandstone which is more Burgundian and the Pinot Noir clones are from a selection of Pommard Clos de Epenots and noted for having a lower yield.  The fruit is hand-harvested with a ten day maceration period for the Initial Fermentation and then undergoes Malolactic Fermentation in old casks with six months aging on the lees, bottled and followed by four years in the cellar prior to release.  This garnet-colored wine which was served slightly chilled offered notes of sour cherry, strawberries, blackberries, violets, sous-bois and stones.  On the palate this medium to full-bodied wine displayed tones of red and black fruits, with silky and understated light tannins and a medium to long finish of currants, licorice, pepper and terroir.

The last wine of the evening was the Maison Trimbach Pinot Noir Reserve Alsace 2021.  Pinot Noir Reserve is from Trimbach’s own vineyards and those from their grower partners with the average age of the vines being over forty years of age.  The vineyards are located in the southern part of Alsace: Rodern and St. Hippolyte, some based on granite, some on sandstone, and some from marl and limestone soils.  Grapes are hand-harvested at maturity and after destemming, they undergo a gentle crush by pneumatic pressing followed by an eight-day cold maceration to extract color and fruit in Stainless-Steel vats for Initial Fermentation.  The juices are then blended in the cellar in Stainless-Steel vats and old casks for Malolactic Fermentation.  There is no long ageing on the lees, as the wine is bottled after three months and then aged in cellar for a couple of years.   The garnet colored wine offered notes of red and black cherries, blackberries, strawberries, red beets, sous-bois, licorice and spices.  On the palate this medium-bodied wine with good acidity displayed tones of red and black fruits, kirsch blending with soft velvety tannins and ending with a medium-count finish of fruit, smokiness, terroir and a whiff of iron oxide.   

Posted in Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Three Grand Crus from Trimbach

Posted on July 4, 2025 by thewineraconteur

We were getting to the last of the Riesling wines being offered from Maison Trimbach at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan and being curated by Anne Trimbach.  We had already had one Grand Cru and now there were three more Grand Cru wines to be tasted and appreciated.

We were then poured Maison Trimbach Riesling Grand Cru Geisberg Vineyard du Couvent de Ribeauvillé Alsace 2018.  Pierre Trimbach and his team have been working the Grand Cru Geisberg behind the Domaine for years; this parcel previously was dedicated to being assembled with Grand Cru Osterberg into the famous Cuvée Frederic Emile.  In 2009, it was the first time that Grand Cru Geisberg was produced; and it is one of the three smaller Grand Crus in Alsace at only 8.53 hectares.  The Trimbach estate has a 2.6-hectare plot that is on limestone and dolomite marl soi, with old vines over fifty years old, on small terraces with steep slopes facing south.  The fruit is manually harvested and selected at maturity, then crushed and delicately pressed by a pneumatic press.  The wine is vinified in a dry style in Stainless-Steel vats, with no Malolactic Fermentation or long aging on the lees to preserve freshness and fruity aromas.  A pale golden color wine that offered notes of citrus, candied fruit, honey, dried sage, petrol and bergamot.  On the palate this full-bodied wine displayed tones of being well-balanced with ripe fruit, and strong notes of fresh lemon and ending with a long-count finish of stony terroir and a saline minerality.  It was mentioned that while delicious in its youth, it is expected to offer great richness and complexity of its terroir if kept for twenty years in the cellar.  

The next wine poured was Maison Trimbach Riesling Grand Cru Mandelberg Vineyard Alsace 2020.  Grand Cru Mandelberg in Mittelwihr is situated on an almond tree grove slope with a south to southeast hill planted on brown limestone-marl soil.  The vineyard has an altitude of 690 to 755 feet, with the vines averaging forty-five plus years.  Twenty years after cultivating the vineyard th family decided to integrate this Grand Cru in their collection.  The grapes are manually harvested at maturity and delicately crushed in a pneumatic press.  The wine is vinified in a dry style in Stainless-Steel vats, with no Malolactic Fermentation or long aging on the lees to preserve freshness and fruity aromas.  The wine is bottled in the following spring and cellared for a minimum of three years maturation before release.  The pale golden colored wine offered notes of citrus, pineapples, lemon, orange and grapefruit zest and smoky limestone.  On the palate this full-bodied wine displayed tones of peaches and dried apricots with crisp acidity, a rich texture and a long-count finish of fruit, smokiness and terroir.

The last of the Riesling wines poured was the Maison Trimbach Riesling Grand Cru Schlossberg Vineyard Alsace 2021.  In 2012, the Trimbach family acquired about five acres of the Grand Cru Schlossberg and their first vintage was in 2014.  Grand Cru Schlossberg has granite terroir; granite from Thannenkirch above Ribeauvillé and granite migmatite from Kaysersberg.  Planted in horizontal terrasses, with south facing, located next to the castle, just under the forest, the vineyard benefits from a cooler microcosm.  The average age of the vines is around forty years of age.  The grapes were hand harvested to ensure optimal maturity, which allows for depth of flavor and complexity.  After a gentle crush in a pneumatic press, the juice ferments in temperature-controlled Stainless-Steel vats for three to four weeks.  The wine is bottled in the Spring and then cellared for a minimum of three years before release.  A pale golden color wine that offers notes of lemon, pears, candied oranges, pineapple and flint.  The palate of the full-bodied wine displays tones of lemons and ripe peaches, with lively acidity and ends with a long-count finish of fruit, citrus and terroir.

Posted in Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Cuvée and a Grand Cru from Trimbach

Posted on July 1, 2025 by thewineraconteur

There were still many more wines to taste from Maison Trimbach and discussed and curated by Anne Trimbach at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan.  Besides the great staff at the store, they were being assisted by members of Palm Beach International the importer of the wines.  With the additional help, plus all of the loyal  wine lovers that frequent the shop, plus the special tastings, even with the new addition the shop was still crowded, which to a retired retailer is always a great sign.  I also will show you the pamphlet that accompanied the carte of wines being offered, plus I had the pamphlet autographed.  

We next enjoyed a tasting of Maison Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frederic Emile Alsace 2015.  Frederic Emile Trimbach was born in 1839 and it was during his term that the winery moved to Hunawihr and he eventually took over the helm of the estate.  In 1875, the Diploma of Honour at the Brussels International Fair was awarded to Frederic Emile Trimbach and in 1898 at the International Wine Fair in Brussels received the highest distinctions for his wines; this was a pivotal point for success and notoriety for the brand.  It so enhanced the estate, that his son Frederic Theodore Trimbach moved the family business to Ribeauvillé to make way for the expansion.  The house is still located there and under the continued leadership of later generations.  This wine is from a single plot that straddles Grands Crus Osterberg and Geisberg in Ribeauvillé, overlooking the winery.  The plot has marl calcareous-sandstone soils, south to southeast exposure on a steep slope and the vines are at least fifty-five years in age.  The fruit is hand-harvested, gently crushed by a pneumatic press and then vinified to dryness in Stainless-Steel vats and old casks.  No Malolactic Fermentation, or long aging on the lees; to preserve freshness and fruity aromas.  The wine is bottled in the following Spring and after seven years of aging in the cellar to develop its expression of terroir and an aging potential of an additional twenty plus years.  A soft golden color wine that offered notes of citrus, apricots, peaches, plums, white florals, and concentrated whiffs of lemon and smokiness.  On the palate this full bodied and well-balanced wine displayed tones of stone fruits, citrus with a very refined blend of a touch of sweetness and a touch of saltiness that ended with a long-count finish of fruit, limestone and smoke.

We then followed with Maison Trimbach Riesling Grand Cru Brand Vineyard Alsace 2020.  The Brand Vineyard located in Turckheim is one of the most reputed Grand Cru of Alsace and it is fifty-eight hectares of south to southeastern exposures on warm terroir based on two micas granite fields.  Trimbach’s parcel is almost one hectare in size and the vines average about seventy-years of age.  Brand Vineyard sits on the steep slopes at the beginning of the Vallée de Munster, its name from Old German for fire, a reference to the legend that a dragon and the sun once did battle there and how the sun warms its fine granite soils quickly.  The fruit is hand-harvested, then delicately crushed in a pneumatic press; vinified in a dry style in Stainless-Steel vats and old casks.  No Malolactic Fermentation or long aging on lees, in order to preserve freshness and fruity aromas.  The wine is then bottled in the following spring, and then a minimum of three years of aging in the cellar before releasing.  This pale golden colored wine offered notes of grapefruit, lemon, pears, green apples, flint, white florals, minerals and whiffs of petrol.  On the palate this medium-bodied wine with racy acidity displayed tones of lemons, green apples, pears, apricots and honey blending to end with a long finish of fruit, lemon zest and wet slate.  

Posted in Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The First Three Rieslings from Maison Trimbach

Posted on June 28, 2025 by thewineraconteur

A totally different wine tasting was held at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan.  It was a much more structured tasting with guests arriving for three different time slots and delightful small plates and shareables catered by Vertical Detroit.  In the 16th Century the first Trimbachs arrived from Switzerland to dig in the silver mines at Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines.  In 1626 Jean Trimbach arrived from Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines was received by Bourgeois in Riquewihr, where he became a winemaker.  As the years passed, generations followed each other at the House of Trimbach.  

The Riesling varietal accounts for fifty percent of Maison Trimbach production.  The first wine that we had was Maison Trimbach Riesling Alsace 2022.  For their classic Riesling, twenty-five percent of the grapes originate from Grand Cru vineyards.  The specific plots are selected each year by Pierre Trimbach.  The grapes are fermented in temperature-controlled Stainless-Steel and concrete vats.  There is no secondary Malolactic Fermentation in order to maintain as much natural acidity as possible.  The grapes are crushed and delicately pressed in a  pneumatic press, then vinified in a dry style in Stainless-Steel vats and old neutral casks.  There is no long aging on lees, as the wine is bottled in the following spring and then ages one additional year in the bottle before release.  This is a classic interpretation of a dry Alsatian Riesling and the wine is a soft-pale-yellow and offered notes of tropical fruit, pears, lemons and oranges along with white florals.  On the palate this medium-bodied wine was crisp and elegant and displayed tones of white fruits, citrus and a nice chewy wine that finished with fruit and terroir.

 The second Riesling that we had was Maison Riesling Reserve Alsace 2021.  Once again this wine has fruit coming from vineyards selected by Pierre Trimbach, including the lieu-dit of the Trottacker-Forst with marl, limestone and sandstone soils, as well as some older vines (forty-five plus years) in Trimbach’s vineyard in Ribeauvillé.  Other sites included are the Haguenau and Paenzer, and Grand Cru Altenberg, which has limestone soils and very stony red marls, which are shallow and rich in fossils, and another lot of old vines (fifty plus years) in Bergheim.  The grapes are selected at maturity and delicately crushed in a pneumatic press; then vinified in a dry style in Stainless Steel vats.  There is no Malolactic Fermentation or long aging on the lees, to preserve freshness and full fruit aromas.  A straw colored wine that offered notes of green apples, pears, citrus and white florals.  On the palate, this dry and well-balanced medium-bodied wine displayed tones of green apples, pears, grapefruit, and lemon zest ending with a racy finish of terroir and refreshing salinity, that almost demands another taste.

We then had the Maison Trimbach Riesling Vieilles Vignes Alsace 2022, and Vieilles Vignes translates to Old Vines, which is not a legal wine term, but is used proudly by wineries that can attest to that fact.  Trimbach is fortunate to have some great microclimate locations for some of their vineyards.  This wine is produced from over seventy-year-old vines from Grand Cru Rosacker and from lieu dit Muehlforst, and in Hunawihr (which are both planted on Muschelkalk soil with limestone.  This wine also uses sixty-plus-year-old vines from the lieu dit Vorderer Haguenau in Ribeauvillé planted on marl and limestone soil.  The fruit for this wine was handpicked to achieve maximum ripeness.  The grapes are gently crushed in a pneumatic press.  The juice ferments in temperature-controlled Stainless-Steel vats for almost four weeks.  There was no Malolactic Fermentation or long aging on lees, in order to preserve freshness and fruity aromas.  The wine is not oak-aged and vinified to complete dryness with no residual sugar.  This straw-colored wine offered notes of lemon pastry, dried apricots, freshly-cut acacia and a trace of kerosene and terroir.  On the palate, this medium bodied wine was fleshy and balanced with tones of citrus, stone fruit, lychee and pastry with a firm backbone of minerals delivering a long-count finish of fruit, honey, limestone and salinity. 

Posted in Wine | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Tasting with Anne Trimbach

Posted on June 25, 2025 by thewineraconteur

We attended a special tasting at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan as Maison Trimbach, one of the oldest wineries of Alsace is preparing for next year’s anniversary as they will be in their 400th year. Maison Trimbach, in Ribeauvillé, is in the heart of Alsace and for thirteen generations they have been producing their Grand Vins.  In 2025, Maison Trimbach was elected “Marque de l’année” (Brand of the Year) by the Revue du Vin de France.  It was a special evening at The Fine Wine Source, as the shop is usually closed on Mondays, and the evening was blocked into three sessions of tasting.  There was also catering from Vertical Detroit restaurant with Short Rib Sliders, Smoked Trout Pate, Hummus and a very large charcuterie board, that they kept replenishing.

Since 1626, the Trimbach family has been a focal point for Alsatian wines.  They are also one of the largest owners of Grand Cru Vineyards in the region which account for an impressive third of their total production.  Anne Trimbach is the eldest of the thirteen generation and she is one of their global brand ambassadors.  The family also acts as a negocient as they have contracts with about seventy local growers and the fruit is selected by Pierre Trimbach, the winemaker along with his brother Jean, Anne’s father.  The first wine poured represents the labors of their contracts and it was Maison Trimbach Pinot Blanc Alsace 2022.  The wine was a pale yellow and offered notes of fresh fruit, especially apricots and white florals.  On the palate this medium-bodied wine displayed tones of apricots, citrus with crisp acidity and a medium-count finish of fruit and it was very refreshing.

The second wine that we tasted was Maison Trimbach Pinot Gris Reserve Alsace 2018.  This fruit for this wine is selected from mostly old vineyards in Ribeauvillé, and the surrounding villages including the vineyards of Grand Cru Kirchberg, Wiebaum, Haguenau and a parcel in Bergheim, resulting in creating complex wines with longer aging potential.  The average age of the vines are about thirty-five years, and the vineyards are planted on the Ribeauvillé fault line on soils of calcareous limestone and bio-degraded seashell fossils called “muschelkalk.”  The wine is fermented to complete dryness in temperature-controlled Stainless-Steel and concrete vats.  There is no secondary Malolactic Fermentation to maintain as much natural acidity as possible.  After bottling, the bottles remain in the cellar for a minimum of three years, before releasing, ensuring that the wines are ready for enjoyment.  A pale-yellow colored wine offering notes of ripe yellow peaches and ripe pears along with hints of terroir.  On the palate, this medium-bodied wine displayed tones of peaches and pears, very crisp, and ending with a medium-count finish of fruit, nuts and smokiness.

Posted in Dining, Wine | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Fine Wine Source Club – June 2025

Posted on June 22, 2025 by thewineraconteur

One of my favorite monthly activities is to stop at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan and pick up the wine club selections.  The club selections, just like every other wine in the store has been curated by the owner and his staff.  The club membership also allows me to buy a single bottle of wine at a case discount if that occasion ever occurs.  I also had a chance to try a few new wines that are on the shelf, and I was watching as they were getting ready for a special event at the store, on a day where they are normally closed.  They will be hosting Ann Trimbach who is representing the twentieth generation as the family celebrates their 400th Anniversary.  So, a little preview of the next couple of articles and eight of the twelve wines being featured have never been in Michigan before.

Looking at the wine club selection representing the Old World is Tenuta Ronci di Nepi Rosso di Ne’ Lazio IGT 2019. The winery was founded by Arturo Improta in the Eighties looking for an uncontaminated nature that was near volcanic lakes, a few kilometers north of Rome.  He planted both native and international varieties on soil made of disintegrated “peperino” stone, a volcanic rock, rich in minerals that would create a distinct terroir to the wines made.  The estate is about thirty hectares on the gentle hills of the Ronci Valley.  The wine is a blend of sixty percent Merlot and forty percent Cabernet Sauvignon and the vineyards are about twenty-five years in age.  The wine is fermented and aged in Stainless-Steel tanks to maintain the freshness of the fruit.  The ruby red wine offered notes of cherry and raspberry and a mix of spices and herbs.  On the palate the red fruits and spices blended with velvety tannins in a well-balanced wine and a smooth finish featuring fruit and terroir.

The wine representing the New World was Adelsheim Vineyards Rosé of Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, Oregon 2023 from their “Artist Series.”  Adelsheim Vineyards is a wine producer in the Willamette Valley and their focus is on single-vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines, but they also feature Syrah, Pinot Blanc and Auxerrois. David and Ginny Adelsheim bought their first plot of land in what would become the Chehalem Mountains AVA in 1971, began planting in 1972 and their first release was in 1978.  Adelsheim Vineyards has 232 acres around the Willamette Valley and all the vineyards are planted on hillsides.  The wine is described as bright pink and offering notes of cherries, strawberries and herbs, while the winemaker described the wine as a glass of tangerine zest and white peach nectar.  On the palate this wine displays tones of fresh cherry and strawberry, in a well-balanced wine that ends with a medium count finish of lively fruit and a dusting of grated nutmeg.

 

Posted in Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment