Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile 2003, Trimbach
11th January 2009
A decidedly unfashionable grape, Riesling. A century ago it was held in much higher esteem. In those days Hocks – Rhenish Rieslings – were better known than white Burgundies, and they commanded higher prices. Nowadays the only people still keen on Riesling live in Riesling-growing areas. The rest of the world has lost interest. Contemporary taste favours wines that are heavily oaked and super-strong. Riesling can be neither.
There may be one other reason for the grape’s low popularity. With two or three years’ bottle-age, Riesling acquires a curious odour, often likened to petrol or kerosene. This is caused by a flavour compound called 1,1,6-trimethyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene, more commonly known as TDN.
To my nostrils the TDN odour seems less like petrol than white spirit. Years ago I used to paint in oils, and my home often carried the scents of turps and spirit, with which one thins and cleans off colours. The fragrance of this week’s wine unlocked a Proustian flood of memories, to such a degree that I am seriously contemplating going out and buying a canvas.
At any rate, while I do not find the TDN odour off-putting, I can see how others might, especially as TDN occurs only in mature Rieslings, which by their nature lie at the pricier end of the market. People may justifiably hesitate to pay $40 or more for a drink that reminds them of gasolene, especially at a time when the cost of the real thing is plummeting.
All this is understandable, but it is a pity. A good, aged Riesling is quite unlike any other wine, and few aged Rieslings are as good as this one. It is from Alsace, the only region of France permitted to grow the Riesling grape. Its makers, the firm of Trimbach, have been in business since 1626. Their Cuvée Frédéric Emile is one of their most famous Rieslings, named after the member of the family who brought the house to greatness in the 19th century. It has a pleasing lemon yellow colour, and its nose is reminiscent not only of white spirit, but also peaches and apples. On the palate it suggests grapefruit, melon and honey, but as with all Trimbach whites, these flavors are cut back by a refreshing acidity.
Much as I enjoyed this Riesling, I hesitate to call it good value for money. At $42 (£30) a bottle, it is competing against Graves, Meursault and even Condrieu. I accept that technically this wine is of similar calibre, but I cannot honestly say it gave me the depth of pleasure I would expect from those others. Like everyone else I am a product of my times, and try as I might, I struggle to place the Riesling grape in the same class as Chardonnay. But my great-grandparents may well have taken the opposite view, and I would not dream of saying they were wrong.
