2014 Riesling, Geisberg, Grand Cru, Trimbach, Alsace

What is it? Glorious, glorious Riesling: talk to anyone at Berry Bros. & Rudd – or indeed the wine trade – and we’ll wearily explain that we wish we could persuade more people to love this noble grape as much as we do. It comes in many guises – from the crystalline purity and pinpoint balance of the Mosel to the thrilling tautness of the Eden Valley; this outstanding example, however, comes from the picturesque Alsace.

Why’s it different? Trimbach is one of the region’s leading producers, and the only producer to be sold by all of France’s three-Michelin-star restaurants – for good reason. This comes from Geisberg, a Grand Cru vineyard which is partly used to create Trimbach’s legendary Cuvée Frédéric Emile; the rest of the fruit, however, is made into a single-vineyard cuvée. Old vines on steep, terraced slopes produce an extraordinary wine. The 2014 offers a waxy richness, with notes of ripe apricots, verging on tropical fruit, and candied lemon peel, with a kerosene edge. It has a voluptuously oily texture, feeling dry despite the weight of fruit, with a mineral thread and twist of lemon acidity driving the long finish. Uncork it now and watch it evolve in the glass, or hold onto it for a decade or more.

What should I eat with it? Rick Stein’s take on Flammekueche would be an exceedingly appropriate match; however there’s no shortage of dishes that would sing alongside this grand wine. With its textural mouth-feel, it can stand up to the weight of creamy sauces; while the concentration of honeyed fruit would be more than a match for aromatically spiced dishes (although beware of anything too hot).

How much? £5 for a taste, £68.68 for a bottle

Drop into our London Shop at 63 Pall Mall to taste it for yourself.

From 17th to 22nd October, we’ll be filling our Enomatics with wines from Alsace – a brilliant chance to explore the region.