Carrying 14% alcohol with negligible residual sugar, Trimbach’s 2009 Riesling Clos Ste-Hune leads with high-toned pear, kirsch, and almost bitingly piquant holly berry distillates. Huckleberry, holly, and fruit pit bitterness are well woven into a tight-grained, seamless fabric of fresh white peach, with further chalky and alkaline accents. The finish is a veritable rolling block of mineral and fruit distillate, boasting energy and grip, if also a bit of heat. I suspect that the Frederic Emile will retain an edge in elegance over this, which I would drink on the early side for a Ste-Hune, say over the next 10-12 years. “The oenologists were saying in 2009 ‘Oh we have to get approval so that we can add acidity,’ but it was absolutely unnecessary, for us,” notes Pierre Trimbach, who indeed delivered a surprisingly animated collection, albeit one diminished in size by instances of declassification. The Trimbachs compare their 2008s with 1998, adding that there is something of 2001 to them, too. As a group, they are going to further the reputation of wines from this family for rewarding patience.