2009 Riesling, Clos Ste Hune, Trimbach, Alsace

The south, southeast facing vines are on average 50 years old and lie on a predominantly limestone subsoil. These factors give this Riesling a unique flavour and remarkable fruit concentration. Clos Ste Hune is distinguished and refined with beautifully ripe fruit, pronounced minerality and a unique temperament. Serge Dubs (World’s Best Sommelier in 1989) commented that “if there is one Riesling in the world which every wine lover dreams of tasting and savouring, it is Clos Ste Hune.” It has its own signature and is sublime in great vintages with its exceptional capacity to age.

Only between 6 – 9,000 bottles are made of this wine each year. The product of the Rosacker vineyard in the Haut-Rhin village of Hunawihr, it was first released as such in 1919. Why Hunawihr you may ask, given the negoce is in Ribeauvillé: initially the Trimbachs had a simple family domaine, on the site of the now restaurant ‘Le Caveau de Vignerons’, before becoming a negociant in the 1930s. The 2009 vintage is watery transparent, with lime cordial intensity. It’s so electric, so racy and limpid, with real direction and intent; the palate an amazing sensation of lime sherbet space dust! Such excitement and thrill!

Berry Bros. & Rudd