Riesling

Reviewed by Jancis Robinson for the Financial Times in their 6th December 2019 article, Stunning White Wines for the Festive Season (see blue link below).

Cave De Hunawihr Riesling Grand Cru Rosacker 2018 - December 2019 FT review

This small co-operative, founded in 1954, has 110 members and 200 hectares of vineyard in the Haut-Rhin, nine kilometres from Colmar. Their wines are vinified using only their members' grapes, with a focus on expressing the rich diversity of Alsatian soils. Winemaker Nicolas Garde started at the winery in 2004 and his influence continues to be seen in the way the wines improve with each vintage.

Awarded 89 points and Recommended status by Decanter in their January 2020 edition article, Top Washington (State) Buys (see blue link below).

Charles Smith Kung Fu Girl Riesling 2017 - January 2020 Decanter review

As the maker puts it: "It takes an unconventional winemaker to make a totally unexpected dry Riesling. One night, Charles was eating Chinese takeout and watching a fight scene in a notorious martial arts film when he had an idea: a killer white wine made to be paired with Asian food. Just like that, Kung Fu Girl was born. And it’s been kicking ass and taking names ever since".

More traditionally put: This wine is made by Charles Smith, a self–taught winemaker who brings his rock and roll spirit to the vineyards of Walla Walla, Washington. As a romantic young man, Charles Smith moved across the world to Denmark to follow his love for his girlfriend at the time. In Scandinavia, he became a recognized manager for rock bands such as The Raveonettes. While travelling on the road with these bands, he developed his passion for wine. In 1999, he moved back to Washington, opened a wine store and became friendly with a French winemaker, later convincing him to move to Walla Walla to make wine together.

Charles Smith Kung Fu Girl Riesling grapes comes from Evergreen Vineyard vines, where they stretch across the steep cliffs overlooking the Colombia River. This makes for ideal Riesling growing conditions that rival those in Germany. This wine is made from 100% Riesling grapes, carefully cultivated and pressed at the winery. The wine is barrel-aged for only 2 months (using the sur lie method, ie leaving the wine on its fine lees). Charles Smith Kung Fu Girl Riesling is crafted to be approachable and ready to drink the day you buy it.

The wine is a party in a glass. Young and fun, bright balance and tropical fruit notes make this an easy introduction to the world of Riesling. White stone fruit, apricot and white peach aromas with honeysuckle undertones make it a stand out. These flavours are balanced with elements of lime zest, citrus blossom and a floral hint of jasmine.

This wine would pair well with any number of foods. It can very easily be enjoyed on its own but Charles Smith Kung Fu Girl Riesling is a match made in heaven with Korean BBQ, spicy curry any kind of Thai food and sushi. Snow crab, lobster, prawns, roasted chicken or grilled salmon would also pair well.

100% Riesling.

Residual sugar = 1.4g/litre (ie bone dry).

To see an information sheet and tasting note for this wine from the team at Charles Smith Wines, please click on the blue link below.

Charles Smith Kung Fu Girl Riesling 2017 - fiche technique

ABV = 12.0%.

The Framingham label was launched in 1994 with one Riesling, and has since expanded to include Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. Framingham produces wines from their 19.5 hectare estate vineyard (certified organic since 2014) and other selected sites. Their Riesling vines, planted in 1981, are among the oldest in Marlborough. Andrew Brown joined Framingham as head winemaker in January 2020, replacing Dr Andrew Hedley, who resigned from his role after 18 years at the helm. A highly regarded winemaker, Brown previously spent seven years at Framingham as assistant winemaker and understudy to Andrew Hedley before working as consultant in regions including Oregon, Central Otago and Alsace. Last year, one of Brown's Rieslings won the Champion Riesling Trophy at the New Zealand International Wine Show; a fitting accolade from someone taking the reins at Framingham, who have always been renowned for their Rieslings.

The Framingham label was launched in 1994 with one Riesling, and has since expanded to include Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. Framingham produces wines from their 19.5 hectare estate vineyard (certified organic since 2014) and other selected sites. Their Riesling vines, planted in 1981, are among the oldest in Marlborough. Andrew Brown joined Framingham as head winemaker in January 2020, replacing Dr Andrew Hedley, who resigned from his role after 18 years at the helm. A highly regarded winemaker, Brown previously spent seven years at Framingham as assistant winemaker and understudy to Andrew Hedley before working as consultant in regions including Oregon, Central Otago and Alsace. Last year, one of Brown's Rieslings won the Champion Riesling Trophy at the New Zealand International Wine Show; a fitting accolade from someone taking the reins at Framingham, who have always been renowned for their Rieslings.

Riesling 100%.

This wine has a fragrant, complex nose showing mandarin and cream aromas with stonefruit and hints of smoke and minerality. The palate is vibrant and intense with orange, nectarine and cream flavours with zesty acidity.

ABV = 13.0%.

Greywacke was created in 2009 by Kevin Judd who was the chief winemaker at Cloudy Bay for 25 years. The name 'Greywacke' was adopted by Kevin for his first Marlborough vineyard located in Rapaura in recognition of the high prevalence of rounded greywacke river stones in the soils of the vineyard, a sedimentary rock which is widely found in Marlborough. Kevin Judd is also New Zealand's finest wine photographer and has recently published a book The Landscape of New Zealand Wine.

The fruit for this wine was grown at the organically-farmed Ashmore Vineyard in Fairhall, adjacent to the mouth of the Brancott Valley on gravelly clay-loam soils, conditions more typical of the Southern Valleys than the Wairau plains. The 20-year-old vines are trained on a two cane VSP (Vertical Shoot Positioning) trellis with careful shoot and bunch thinning carried out.

100% Riesling.

Residual sugar = 19.5g/litre (ie off-dry).

** LAST FEW BOTTLES OF 2017 VINTAGE - EXCELLENT, HIGHLY-RATED 2019 VINTAGE NOW ALSO IN STOCK **

** Important general tasting point: this wine - and many other fine Rieslings from South Australia - have quite strong aromas/tones of petrol/diesel/kerosene/machine oil (take your pick). This is not a fault. There's nothing wrong with the wine. For a bit more detail and some chemistry, see here. It's an aroma (and lesserly, a flavour) that is repugnant to some customers, and utterly addictive to others (a bit like chilli in food). Do please note before buying this wine; indeed, many customers buy this wine specifically for the 'petrol hit'! **

The 2014 vintage of this wine was a huge hit when it featured in Decanter (www.decanter.com) recently. The current 2017 vintage is now newly available and also superb; indeed, as the below vintage table (also from Decanter) shows, 2017 is already talked of by some as the best Riesling vintage in Australia for over 15 years.

The 2014 vintage was awarded 98 points and rare Exceptional status by Decanter (www.decanter.com) in their April 2018 edition review of Australian Riesling  (see blue link below) .

Pauletts Polish Hill River Riesling 2014 - April 2018 Decanter review

See also here for Decanter's assessment of Australian Riesling vintages (click blue link below).

Decanter Australian vintage summary

Clare Valley is one of Australia`s oldest wine regions and is probably best known for its Riesling wines. Polish Hill River is a sub-region one and a half hours drive north from Adelaide. Named after the Polish settlers of the mid 1800s, the climate is ideal for premium grape growing with a combination of consistently good winter rains, hot summers tempered by cool nights and a long ripening period.

Pauletts' reputation for producing wines of finesse, elegance and intensity is justly deserved with consistent skill and care from vintage to vintage. Neil Paulett graduated from the Roseworthy oenology course in the early 1970s and spent a further ten years honing his winemaking skills at Penfolds before buying his own property in the Clare Valley. Located some 90 minutes north of Adelaide,this lovely property now extends to 150 hectares with 47 planted with vines. Since the first vintage in 1983 there have been many accolades both at home and internationally. These wines are a true reflection of the region and are of outstanding quality.

The Clare Valley yields one of the world`s great styles of Riesling. This youthful, aromatic, dry wine has intense mineral and floral aromas on the nose. These aromas follow through on the palate leading to flavours of lime, citrus and white blossom. Tropical fruits and citrus dominate the fresh, racy acidity and a distinct minerality comes through on the palate leaving a fantastic, clean finish.

This wine is a good choice to accompany seafood, especially prawn, crab, oysters and bass and mildly spiced Thai stir fry and seafood curries.

ABV = 12.8%.

James Halliday Wine Companion Magazine ‐ April/May 2020  ‐  95 points.

** Important general tasting point: this wine - and many other fine Rieslings from South Australia - have quite strong aromas/tones of petrol/diesel/kerosene/machine oil (take your pick). This is not a fault. There's nothing wrong with the wine. For a bit more detail and some chemistry, see here. It's an aroma (and lesserly, a flavour) that is repugnant to some customers, and utterly addictive to others (a bit like chilli in food). Do please note before buying this wine; indeed, many customers buy this wine specifically for the 'petrol hit'! **

The 2014 vintage was awarded 98 points and rare Exceptional status by Decanter (www.decanter.com) in their April 2018 edition review of Australian Riesling  (see blue link below) .

Pauletts Polish Hill River Riesling 2014 - April 2018 Decanter review

Clare Valley is one of Australia`s oldest wine regions and is probably best known for its Riesling wines. Polish Hill River is a sub-region one and a half hours drive north from Adelaide. Named after the Polish settlers of the mid 1800s, the climate is ideal for premium grape growing with a combination of consistently good winter rains, hot summers tempered by cool nights and a long ripening period.

Pauletts' reputation for producing wines of finesse, elegance and intensity is justly deserved with consistent skill and care from vintage to vintage. Neil Paulett graduated from the Roseworthy oenology course in the early 1970s and spent a further ten years honing his winemaking skills at Penfolds before buying his own property in the Clare Valley. Located some 90 minutes north of Adelaide,this lovely property now extends to 150 hectares with 47 planted with vines. Since the first vintage in 1983 there have been many accolades both at home and internationally. These wines are a true reflection of the region and are of outstanding quality.

For this, their 2019 Riesling, here's Pauletts' own data sheet/fiche technique:

Paulett Polish Hill River Riesling 2019 - fiche technique

The Clare Valley yields one of the world`s great styles of Riesling. This youthful, aromatic, dry wine has intense mineral and floral aromas on the nose. These aromas follow through on the palate leading to flavours of lime, citrus and white blossom. Tropical fruits and citrus dominate the fresh, racy acidity and a distinct minerality comes through on the palate leaving a fantastic, clean finish.

This wine is a good choice to accompany seafood, especially prawn, crab, oysters and bass and mildly spiced Thai stir fry and seafood curries.

ABV = 12.8%.

The wine-growing estate of Paulinshof is a former monastery firstly mentioned in AD 936. From the early 1800s, the Paulinshof estate has been in private ownership; since the late 1960s, Paulinshof has been the propery of the Jüngling family, and lays claim (or part-claim) to some of the finest vineyards of the middle Mosel: Kestener Paulinshofberger, Kestener Paulinsberg, Kestener Herrenberg, Trittenheimer Apotheke, Brauneberger Juffer (recognised by Napoleon’s classification as the top site in the Mosel in 1804), Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr and the Brauneberger Kammer (which is solely owned by Paulinshof).

These steep, slate-rich, river valley hillsides are low-yielding: this is the principal reason for the outstanding quality of Paulinshof's Rieslings which win numerous major awards every year. The wines all have a delicious seam of minerality and acidity

Harvested from selected stake-trained old vines from steep vineyards on the Paulinshof estate. The grapes are carefully pressed at low pressure, and the must is then fermented in stainless steel at controlled temperature.

100% Riesling.

Light gold colour with hints of green. Spicy aromas of orange peel and bergamot. Dry on the palate with expressive seam of minerality, herbs, gooseberries and rhubarb leading to a long finish. Drink on its own, with fish, or with light white meat dishes.

ABV = 12.5%.

** Important general tasting point: this wine - and many other fine Rieslings from South Australia - have quite strong aromas/tones of petrol/diesel/kerosene/machine oil (take your pick). This is not a fault. There's nothing wrong with the wine. For a bit more detail and some chemistry, see here. It's an aroma (and lesserly, a flavour) that is repugnant to some customers, and utterly addictive to others (a bit like chilli in food). Do please note before buying this wine; indeed, many customers buy this wine specifically for the 'petrol hit'! **

\The 2015 vintage was awarded 95 points and Outstanding status by Decanter (www.decanter.com) in their April 2018 edition review of Australian Riesling  (see blue link below). This vintage has now just depleted (it's amazing it lasted as long as it did), but the 2016 seems equally excellent!

Peter Lehmann H&V Riesling 2015 - April 2018 Decanter review

Peter Lehmann, with 33 vintages already under his belt, started his own winery in 1979, partly as a means of helping with the glut of grapes then afflicting the Barossa. "I'll take your grapes and turn them into wine," he told the desperate growers, many of them conservative farmers of Silesian descent who regarded their old vines as part of their patrimony. "But I'll only be able to pay you when I sell the wine." They gratefully accepted. Without this deal, it is widely thought that the Barossa would have lost a huge chunk of its old vines. The 'Hill & Valley' wines are made from fruit selected, often from single vineyards, in the Barossa Valley and from the higher reaches of the adjacent Eden Valley.

** Important general tasting point: this wine - and many other fine Rieslings from South Australia - have quite strong aromas/tones of petrol/diesel/kerosene/machine oil (take your pick). This is not a fault. There's nothing wrong with the wine. For a bit more detail and some chemistry, see here. It's an aroma (and lesserly, a flavour) that is repugnant to some customers, and utterly addictive to others (a bit like chilli in food). Do please note before buying this wine; indeed, many customers buy this wine specifically for the 'petrol hit'! **

The 2012 vintage was awarded 96 points and Outstanding status by Decanter (www.decanter.com) in their April 2018 edition review of Australian Riesling  (see blue link below) .

Peter Lehmann Masters Wigan Riesling 2012 - April 2018 Decanter review

Peter Lehmann, with 33 vintages already under his belt, started his own winery in 1979, partly as a means of helping with the glut of grapes then afflicting the Barossa. "I'll take your grapes and turn them into wine," he told the desperate growers, many of them conservative farmers of Silesian descent who regarded their old vines as part of their patrimony. "But I'll only be able to pay you when I sell the wine." They gratefully accepted. Without this deal, it is widely thought that the Barossa would have lost a huge chunk of its old vines. The 'Masters' wines are made from the parcels regarded by the winemakers as the best Semillon, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz of the vintage.

** BOUGHT IN TO ORDER; ORDERS NOW PLACED WILL BE WITH US ON WEDS 24th JUNE. AVAILABLE IN CASES OF THREE BOTTLES. WE ARE ALSO HAPPY TO SELL INDIVIDUAL BOTTLES. **

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"Aromas of limestone and hints of earth. Wet morning forest floor. This is from the vineyards of the convent of Ribeauville. This has been made separately since 2009. All organically farmed. Only 8.5 hectares total with Trimbach as four. The Montrachet of Alsace? 98 points". James Suckling

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"The 2014 Grand Cru Geisberg Riesling opens with a clear, ripe and intense, well-concentrated and complex bouquet with crushed stone, lemon peel and herbal aromas. Full-bodied, juicy, intense and piquant, with good concentration and complexity, this is a full-bodied, dense and persistent Riesling with firm, yet still somewhat austere tannins and good acidity. I suppose this will be a great Geisberg in 10 or more years, but not much earlier. A very promising Riesling! 93+ points". Wine Advocate.

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Earning a listing for one of your wines at a Michelin-starred restaurant is a proud moment – so what must it be like to be featured by every single three Michelin-starred restaurant in France (that’s 27 in total)? It’s an accolade that reflects the historic excellence and purist vision of F. E. Trimbach, unquestionably one of the great names of Alsace and a family business that can trace its origins all the way back to 1626. Thirteen generations later, brothers Bernard and Hubert, plus Bernard’s sons, Pierre and Jean, and granddaughter Anne – remain true to the philosophy handed down to them by their 19th century ancestor, Frédéric Emile (the man who put the “F.E.” into F. E. Trimbach).

The Trimbachs have a purist vision. For three centuries and across 13 generations, the family has produced wines that are structured, long-lived, fruity, elegant and balanced: the celebrated Trimbach style. The family personally looks after each operation, from planting to harvests and from vinification to bottling.

The viticultural origin of the Trimbach family dates back to 1626, when Jean Trimbach, was recognized as a citizen of Riquewihr. From then on, the Trimbach’s were renowned for their wine-growing. Maison Trimbach’s vineyards are all situated around Ribeauvillé (Ribeauvillé, Hunawihr, Bergheim, Rorschwihr, Riquewihr and Mittlewihr). They benefit from the unique Alsatian microclimate, thanks to the Vosges Mountains protection, which preserves the plain from the rain. The vineyards were planted on the Ribeauvillé’s fault line that fractured 50 million years ago between the Vosges Mountain range and the Black Forest offering a mosaic of terroirs including the complex calcareous limestone and bio-degraded seashell fossils called Muschelkalk.

Trimbach have been leasing the vineyards of the Convent of Ribeauvillé for several years now. In 2009, they produced their first Grand Cru Geisberg. Pierre Trimbach and his team have been working the Grand Cru Geisberg behind the Trimbach domaine for years, this one being assembled with Grand Cru Osterberg into the famous Frederic Emile. Their knowledge of this terroir has enabled them to produce a great wine on their 2.66 ha. The Geisberg GC is a jewel of Alsace. Located in between two other Grands Crus on Ribeauvillé's fault line, the limestone and sandstone subsoil, the old vines, the exposure to the sun and the small steep terrasses make it a very unique and complex terroir of only 8.5 ha in total.

Handpicked as late as possible in order to achieve maximum ripeness, which in turn, gives optimum depth of flavour and complexity. The grapes are pressed very gently in a pneumatic press. The juice ferments in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats for 3 to 4 weeks.

The wine is not oak-aged, and is vinified to complete dryness with no residual sugar. Bottling is done early to preserve freshness, and the wine rests in bottle in the cellar for several years before reaching the marketplace, ensuring the wine is both ready to drink upon release but also can be cellared.

Riesling 100%.

The wine is intense and has a great energy. The color is bright-electric with silvery shimmers. Although the first approach on the nose is discreet with white flowers notes, the diesel-like minerality soon emerge with broad almost-oily shoulders to match it. A direct characteristic of the Geisberg parcel. On the palate, the attack is unctuous and ample with saline notes adding elegance to a very structured wine. A gastronomic wine able to age between 10 to 30 years in the top vintages.

ABV = 13.0%.

** BOUGHT IN TO ORDER; ORDERS PLACED BY 9am ON A MONDAY WILL BE WITH US ON THE WEDNESDAY TWO DAYS LATER FOR DESPATCH. **

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Awarded a very high 18.5 points (of 20) on Jancis Robinson's Purple Pages (www.JancisRobinson.com) - reviewer Jancis herself - in April 2018 (see blue link below).

Trimbach Riesling Clos Ste Hune 2014 - jancisrobinson.com May 2020 review

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"The 2014 Riesling Clos Ste Hune is clear and intense on the concentrated nose, offering ripe white-fruit aromas. On the palate, this is a bone-dry, vital and finessed Riesling with a long and tension-filled, salty finish. The 2014 is a kind of quintessence of the Ribeauvillé/Hunawihr terroir: pure, lean, stony and salty, with no flesh, but lots of bones and minerals at this very early moment. Picked at 35 hl/ha this is a straight Sainte Hune that will last for for 30+ years. 96 points". Wine Advocate, June 2017.

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"A stunning wine with ethereal aromas of sliced apple, sliced pear and mineral character. Flowers and honeysuckle too. Full-bodied, very tight and dense. It goes so deep and beautiful. Bright and tangy acidity. Has the depth of a great vintage of grand cru Burgundy but is so Clos Ste. Hune in character. Muscularly feminine and breathtaking. 99 points". James Suckling, January 2019.

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Earning a listing for one of your wines at a Michelin-starred restaurant is a proud moment – so what must it be like to be featured by every single three Michelin-starred restaurant in France (that’s 27 in total)? It’s an accolade that reflects the historic excellence and purist vision of F. E. Trimbach, unquestionably one of the great names of Alsace and a family business that can trace its origins all the way back to 1626. Thirteen generations later, brothers Bernard and Hubert, plus Bernard’s sons, Pierre and Jean, and granddaughter Anne – remain true to the philosophy handed down to them by their 19th century ancestor, Frédéric Emile (the man who put the “F.E.” into F. E. Trimbach).

The Trimbachs have a purist vision. For three centuries and across 13 generations, the family has produced wines that are structured, long-lived, fruity, elegant and balanced: the celebrated Trimbach style. The family personally looks after each operation, from planting to harvests and from vinification to bottling.

The viticultural origin of the Trimbach family dates back to 1626, when Jean Trimbach, was recognized as a citizen of Riquewihr. From then on, the Trimbach’s were renowned for their wine-growing. Maison Trimbach’s vineyards are all situated around Ribeauvillé (Ribeauvillé, Hunawihr, Bergheim, Rorschwihr, Riquewihr and Mittlewihr). They benefit from the unique Alsatian microclimate, thanks to the Vosges Mountains protection, which preserves the plain from the rain. The vineyards were planted on the Ribeauvillé’s fault line that fractured 50 million years ago between the Vosges Mountain range and the Black Forest offering a mosaic of terroirs including the complex calcareous limestone and bio-degraded seashell fossils called Muschelkalk.

In 1919, after centuries of making Rieslings, the Trimbach family created one of the world’s greatest dry white wines: Clos Ste Hune.

Clos Ste Hune, is a 3.75-acre historic vineyard in the Rosacker Grand Cru, belonging to the Trimbach family for over two centuries. The (on-average) 50-year-old vines are planted on cool Calcareous soil including the famed Muschelkalk, with a gentle incline and a high percentage of limestone. The plot, which is approximately 50 to 70 years old, is south-south-east exposed and the yields are very low.

The calcareous soil allows this Riesling to develop a specific aroma and a wonderful concentration of fruits. Dry yet succulent, and of phenomenal complexity, this wine develops an extraordinary aftertaste of minerals after a few years in bottle. 

Annual production reaches only around 9,000 bottles, depending on the vintage, making the wine so unique that Clos Sainte Hune is sough by many collectors all over the world.

In the vineyard: Trimbach pick the grapes as lateIn the winery:  as possible in order to achieve maximum ripeness which, in turn, gives optimum depth of flavour and complexity. The grapes are picked by hand and pressed gently in a pneumatic press. The juice runs into the cellar by gravity and clarifies naturally prior to fermentation. The juice ferment in stainless steel at controlled temperature for 3 or 4 weeks. The wine is vinified to complete dryness.

In the winery: no oak ageing is employed, because Trimbach believe it does not bring anything to their wines; it merely hides the concentrated fruit and flowers. Bottling is conducted early to preserve freshness. Most top-end Trimbach wines are bottle-aged for several years before leaving the winery; in the case of Clos Ste Hune, that's for a minimum of 5 years.

Of great longevity and very rare, Clos Sainte Hune takes at least seven or eight years to reach its peak. Wine ageing: 20 years+.

Riesling 100%.

A rich yet but very pure and cristalline Clos Ste Hune, with floral and citrus notes. Bone dry, mineral backbone and a lingering finish.

ABV = 14.0%.

"A steely and fruity white with sliced green-apple and lemon aromas and flavors. Medium body. Dry. Crisp acidity. Long and energetic. Minerally at the end. Drink or hold. 94 points". James Suckling, Aug 2019

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The 2015 vintage was awarded 95 points by Decanter (www.decanter.com) (see blue link below).

Trimbach Riesling Grand Cru Schlossberg 2015 - Decanter review

_____

Earning a listing for one of your wines at a Michelin-starred restaurant is a proud moment – so what must it be like to be featured by every single three Michelin-starred restaurant in France (that’s 27 in total)? It’s an accolade that reflects the historic excellence and purist vision of F. E. Trimbach, unquestionably one of the great names of Alsace and a family business that can trace its origins all the way back to 1626. Thirteen generations later, brothers Bernard and Hubert, plus Bernard’s sons, Pierre and Jean, and granddaughter Anne – remain true to the philosophy handed down to them by their 19th century ancestor, Frédéric Emile (the man who put the “F.E.” into F. E. Trimbach).

The Trimbachs have a purist vision. For three centuries and across 13 generations, the family has produced wines that are structured, long-lived, fruity, elegant and balanced: the celebrated Trimbach style. The family personally looks after each operation, from planting to harvests and from vinification to bottling.

The viticultural origin of the Trimbach family dates back to 1626, when Jean Trimbach, was recognized as a citizen of Riquewihr. From then on, the Trimbach’s were renowned for their wine-growing. Maison Trimbach’s vineyards are all situated around Ribeauvillé (Ribeauvillé, Hunawihr, Bergheim, Rorschwihr, Riquewihr and Mittlewihr). They benefit from the unique Alsatian microclimate, thanks to the Vosges Mountains protection, which preserves the plain from the rain. The vineyards were planted on the Ribeauvillé’s fault line that fractured 50 million years ago between the Vosges Mountain range and the Black Forest offering a mosaic of terroirs including the complex calcareous limestone and bio-degraded seashell fossils called Muschelkalk.

In 2012, the Trimbach family bought 2 hectares of the well reputed Grand Cru Schlossberg. The first vintage was produced in 2014. Grand Cru Schlossberg has a granitic terroir. The vines are planted in horizontal terraces, south-facing, located next to the castle, just under the forest ... and the vineyard benefits from a cooler microclimate.

Handpicked as late as possible in order to achieve maximum ripeness, which in turn, gives optimum depth of flavour and complexity. The grapes are pressed very gently in a pneumatic press. The juice ferments in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats for 3 to 4 weeks.

The wine is not oak-aged, and is vinified to complete dryness with no residual sugar. Bottling is done early to preserve freshness, and the wine rests in bottle in the cellar for several years before reaching the marketplace, ensuring the wine is both ready to drink upon release but also can be cellared.

Delicate, dry, precise and able to age for at least 10 years (Exel say: considerably more). There is only a very limited, almost confidential production.

Riesling 100%.

See reviews above for tasting notes.

ABV = 12.5%.

The 2018 vintage was awarded 90 points and Highly Recommended status by Decanter (www.decanter.com) in their October 2019 edition panel tasting of Alternative South American Whites (see blue link below).

Viña Leyda La Neblina Riesling 2018  - October 2019 Decanter review

The 2015 vintage (long since sold out in the UK) was awarded 92 points and Highly Recommended status by Decanter (www.decanter.com) in that same panel (blue link below).

Viña Leyda La Neblina Riesling 2015  - October 2019 Decanter review

The 2015 vintage was awarded 94 points and Highly Recommended status by Decanter in their June 2019 tasting/article of/on Top 30 Chilean Wines Under £25 (see blue link below).

Viña Leyda La Neblina Riesling 2015 - June 2019 Decanter review

Few wineries encapsulate the development of coolclimate winemaking in Chile as well as pioneering Viña Leyda. The first producer to explore this coastal area, a rising star of New World winemaking, it took its name from the local railway station and later lent it to the entire DO of Leyda Valley. If Casablanca Valley represents Chile’s first tentative steps into cool-climate production, Leyda is a series of determined, confident strides: just 14km from the Pacific, the Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah planted here express a crispness, minerality and fine-boned structure not found elsewhere in Chile’s viticultural paradise. Viña Leyda now has more than 200 hectares under vine, but the approach remains one of micromanagement, with detailed mapping of each vineyard and individual lot, and constant experimentation with clonal selection and viticultural techniques.

This 100% Riesling wine comes from vineyards located in the fairly-recently-discovered Leyda Valley, located 12 km from the Pacific Ocean. Its closeness to the sea makes it a unique spot for viticulture. Its cool conditions during spring and summer due to maritime influence and summer breezes makes it an extraordinary area for the development of white varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Riesling.

These grapes were carefully transported to the winery in 400 kg bins and then, selected on a stainless steel sorting table, leaving only the best fruit. Then the clusters were pressed as whole bunches, in pneumatic press at low bars, separating the best quality juice. The juice was chilled down to 8º C and gravity clarified. The fermentation, carried out 100% in stainless steel tank, was at low temperatures (13-14°C, finishing at 16°C) for 18-20 days. After reaching dryness, the wine was left on its lees for 6 months to achieve roundness and improve the texture in the palate.

The pureness of this Riesling is shown in its floral, fruity and delightful flavours. They are elegant, mineral, expressive, with papaya, tangy, mandarin fruit and floral hints. It has a creamy texture on the palate, with sweet honey suckle, white fruit, crisp acidity and juicy-lingering ending.