F.E Trimbach

Trimbach is (with Hugel) one of the two great merchant houses of Alsace. The Trimbach family of Swiss silver miners arrived in the region earlier than the Hugels, and began winemaking in 1626 in Riquewihr. The company has been headquartered in Ribeauvillé since 1920, and the thirteenth generation is taking over the reins at present.

Trimbach remains a staunch defender of the dry style of Alsace wine-making, though its former fierce opposition to the Grand Cru system in Alsace has dissipated, and a ‘Grand Cru Collection’ of Riesling wines now caps its range. This is led by Clos Ste Hune (from 1.67 ha within the Grand Cru of Rosacker), first released in 1919, and Alsace’s most sought-after single-site wine at auction. Cuvée Frédéric Emile isn’t labelled as a Grand Cru since it's made from a blend of fruit from two different sites, Geisberg and Osterberg; and there are now individual Grand Cru Riesling wines from Mandelberg, Schlossberg and Geisberg.

The rest of the range is stratified into Réserve Personelle (Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and – in 2016 – Riesling from the finest sites and vintages only), Réserve (a full range of Alsace varietals from fine sites, with those sites increasingly acknowledged in Trimbach publicity materials and on labels) and Classic (for pristine varietal Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer).

Sweet wines -- from suitable vintages only -- are sold as a separate range. Trimbach has a larger estate than Hugel (61 ha of its own vineyards, principally in Ribeauvillé, Bergheim and Hunawihr) and buys fruit from around 35 growers.