Our wine editor recalls an incredible day with the Trimbach family in the heart of Alsace.
If terroir is destiny, then the Trimbachs are its nobility—charmingly unpretentious despite a lineage that more than rivals the House of Windsor. Maison Trimbach has been guided by 12 generations dating back to 1626, when the family settled in Alsace from Switzerland. Every generation has contributed—be it in the vineyard, at the press, or greeting visitors—yet all remain indelibly bound to the vines and the perpetual quest for balance, a theme resonating throughout my visit. Today, Jean Trimbach and his elder brother Pierre, bolstered by their children—the thirteenth generation—uphold the family legacy.
Ribeauvillé: Where Granite, Limestone & Legend Collide
Step into Ribeauvillé, a fairytale medieval village, and discover a wine estate that is more than a business; it is an evolving family epic, built on Riesling, castles, enchanting terroir, and spirited drinking songs. Here, within ancient ramparts and beneath the gaze of three eleventh-century castles, Trimbach crafts wine from distinguished Grands Crus such as Geisberg, Osterberg, and Kirchberg, not least their iconic Clos Ste Hune from the Rosacker Grand Cru.
Clos Ste Hune—an exclusive monopole perched on limestone and fossilised seashells—is regarded as the holy grail for lovers of dry Riesling. Since its first vintage in 1919, only 650 cases are produced annually, each offered at €400 per bottle. The vineyard’s ‘whisperer’, Laurent, has tended these venerable vines for over twenty-six years, famously greeting each plant as an old friend, a touch reflecting the estate’s deep respect for tradition. Across the valley, granite dominates Grands Crus Schlossberg and Brand, bestowing their wines with an intense, brooding structure.
The Trimbachs: Family, Feast, and Folklore
To meet the Trimbachs is akin to crashing a lively, centuries-old history lesson, all underpinned by remarkable wines. Jean (b. 1960) is the charismatic ambassador, spending upward of eight years of his life travelling—primarily in the United States, the estate’s foremost market—to introduce aficionados to Trimbach’s treasures. His brother Pierre (b. 1956), the elder sibling, oversees production with a zen serenity born of experience, and once even survived a Himalayan ski adventure.
Anne, Pierre’s daughter and the indefatigable “export queen”, recently weathered a hurricane in Atlanta. Jean’s children, Pauline (sales: France, Belgium, Luxembourg) and Julien (dedicated vigneron and enthusiastic Arsenal supporter), complete the six-member family team. Holidays see up to forty Trimbachs gathered beneath one roof, surely testing the limits of the family’s cellar. Bernard (b. 1932), the patriarch emeritus, still appears at gatherings—opening Eisenhower-era bottles with a deft hand and offering acerbic wisdom.
The Origin Story: Not Exactly Hollywood
In the early seventeenth century, the Trimbach family journeyed from Switzerland to Alsace and, demonstrating characteristic stubbornness, never left. Frédéric Emile (1839–1919) earned international acclaim with a Gold Medal from King Leopold II at the Brussels International Wine Fair in 1898, a prize still displayed proudly in the estate’s tasting room. The family now owns sixty-seven hectares—thirty percent Grands Crus—supplemented by eighty more through partnerships, many in the microclimate-blessed Hunawhir-Ribeauvillé-Bergheim corridor. Winds from the Vosges mountains, cool nocturnal temperatures, and meticulous hand-harvesting lend energy and character to each glass.
When I asked Jean about recent changes at the estate, he replied:
“Ribeauvillé is not Hollywood. Very few changes can be expected; we are not launching a new wine or changing the packaging every two years. Consistency and quality are our hallmarks.”
Even so, after several glasses, Jean revealed a recent acquisition: a vine parcel from a retiring neighbour—a rare change but one entirely in keeping with their values.
The Wines: The Many Layers of a Trimbach Table
For the Trimbachs, tradition and authenticity stand far above transient trends or flashy labels. Riesling may cover 22% of Alsace’s vineyards, but it forms 55% of Trimbach’s production.
The Trimbach Hierarchy (Ageing Potential)
| Level | Ageability |
| Classic | 5–10 years |
| Reserve | 10+ years |
| Vieilles Vignes | 10+ years |
| Grand Cru | 20+ years |
| Frédéric Emile | 20+ years |
| Clos Ste Hune | 20++ years |
Each vineyard plot adds its own character: limestone for vibrancy, granite for backbone, marl for roundness.
Legendary Tastings & Family Feasts
These wines, of course, are best appreciated in the company of those who make them. It took four years—and my wife’s patience stretched to tensile limits—for me to visit Jean. It was well worth the wait.
Chef Marc Haeberlin of Auberge de L’Ill’s legendary foie gras beckoned for lunch and, later, at Jean’s house, Nicole brought her secret-recipe cheese pie to the table, while Pierre raided the cellars. By the third bottle, the table clamored for more. The lineup? Rayas 2006, Le Pin 2011, VCC 2005, Dujac Bonnes Mares 2005, Clos Ste Hune 1975, Comtes de Champagne 2012, and many more. Akos Forczek, one of Trimbach’s importers, and Istvan Szepsy Jr., a friend and famed maker of Tokaj, dropped their English for Hungarian as the wine flowed, though by midnight everyone was singing the same language. The Trimbach song blasted at the top of our collective lungs:
“My bottle lies over the ocean,
My bottle lies over the sea,
Trimbach, Trimbach, oh bring back my bottle to me…”
Clos Ste Hune: A Love Letter to Riesling
For those less familiar: Clos Ste Hune is revered as one of the world’s greatest dry Rieslings, a tiny monopole vineyard of 1.67 hectares, separately demarcated within the Rosacker Grand Cru, with a cult following. I have been a dedicated collector of these wines for more than fifteen years, but I have never tasted so many in one day before.
2021: A “difficult” year—mildew, oidium, the usual Biblical drama—yet the result is magic. Light lemon gold in the glass, mineral on the nose, with honeysuckle and fresh mint. The mid-palate delivers juicier fruit than expected, but then the mineral backbone bites back. Rounded. Flamboyant. 13% ABV, 3.1 pH (the average for most vintages), and a finish that hums for minutes. Pierre says wait seven years…but just try.
2020: A golden, richer cousin to 2021. Warmer nose—peach, apricot, salt breeze. The palate is broad and muscular, almost glycerol, with a drier finish and more brooding power. 14% ABV. My money? 2021 for finesse; 2020 for sheer presence.
2019: A memorable vintage for the centenary bottling, marked by “100 Anniversaire” on the label. White florals and crushed herbs leap from the glass; the palate is tense—crushed stone, honey, underripe fruit, glorious backbone. 13.92% ABV, 3.1 pH, almost architectural in its complexity. Very few large formats were bottled; if you find one, hold it close.
2018: Darker hue, and richness to match: sage, smoky citrus, savoury spices, and a nudge toward Sauvignon Blanc in aroma. 14.5% ABV. Juicy, slightly drying, the persistence of dinner guests who just won’t leave (as might have been the case on this special evening). Comforting warmth, but always fresh.
2014: The “Suzuki fly” vintage—well remembered for the havoc it caused in the vineyards—but still lively. Pale gold, sweet spice and tropical fruit, tight and angular, 12.8% ABV. White pepper, sea spray. It’s all there, just a little shy and waiting to unfurl.
1998: Our lunchtime wine at Auberge de L’Ill, served in ultra-rare magnum format. Amber golden hue, with a touch of noble rot that has created a decadent wine. Apricot, white flowers, vanilla, honeysuckle, a delicate steeliness. Toasted almond, dried fruit, hay on the tongue—startling in how youthful and charged it remains. Only 24 magnums produced, now more legend than wine.
1975: Dark gold like old copper coins. Brioche, burnt apricot, toffee, caramel, roasted honey, all balanced by salinity and oyster-shell minerality. Bernard’s favourite wine according to Jean—fresh, zippy as the day bottled, with “infinite” finish, a glowing memory produced in a 63 hl foudre. No petrol notes*, no oxidation. Breathe it in, and you feel the room hush.
*Note: Pierre explains that true Riesling rarely exhibits petrol notes; these arise from extraction during pressing—modern gentle pressing now prevents this.
Asked to name the greatest Clos Ste Hune vintages, Jean and Pierre cited: 1959, 1966, 1967, 1971, 1975, 1976, 1990, 2015, and 2019. As Pierre commented, “Riesling always delivers in great vintages”.
Beyond Clos Ste Hune: Other Trimbach Greats
It was tasting the estate’s 1959 Tokay d’Alsace (today’s Pinot Gris) at his father’s dinner table which made Jean decide to join the family business. So, he has a particular affinity for the quality of wines that can be produced from Alsatian grapes other than Riesling.
Trimbach Réserve Personnelle Pinot Gris 2019
Lush white blossom and ripe peach on the nose, plush without excess. Perceived sweetness whispers, never shouts. Great length, 14.5% ABV, a balancing act of richness and precision that leaves a lasting impression.
Trimbach Gewurztraminer Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre 2017
Lychee, roses, a hint of spice. Light gold, mouth-watering acidity, and a grapey freshness that pairs so well with Peking duck, according to Jean. Light yet energetic, never oily. 14.5% ABV but still wonderfully balanced.
The Trimbach Philosophy: Balance—With a Side of Blah Blah Blah
Twelve generations, yet chaos rarely overtakes order.
“The first thing that matters is balance, the second is balance, the third is balance—and the rest is blah blah blah”, Pierre opines on what makes a great fine wine.
In Ribeauvillé, greatness is a marathon, not a sprint, and it’s measured in decades, not fads or hashtags.
The Final Act — Jean Trimbach’s Desert Island Choices
When asked which items he would take to a desert island, Jean replied:
Book: The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.
Watch: “Because time, like Riesling, must be managed.”
Music: Pink Floyd for those existential moments.
His wife, Nicole: “For everything that matters.”
Death Row wine: Egon Müller Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) 1959—“existential dread meets bliss”.
Jean’s three greatest bottles:
Egon Müller Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) 1959: “An out-of-body experience”.
Château Lafite 1865: “An incredible relic from time itself”.
Clos Ste Hune 1966: “Layered, nervy acidity and enigmatic”.
He also honours Clos Ste Hune 1990, Clos Ste Hune 1975, and Frédéric Émile 1971 as emblematic of the estate’s achievements.
In Conclusion
Should you ever find yourself in Ribeauvillé’s vineyards or Trimbach’s tasting room, raise a glass, join the song, and remember: you are part of a narrative spanning four centuries—woven with laughter, stubbornness, and the perpetual quest for the perfect Riesling.
Lewis Chester DipWSET is a London-based wine & rare spirit collector and writer, member of the Académie du Champagne and Chevaliers du Tastevin, co-founder of Liquid Icons and, along with Sasha Lushnikov, the founder of the Golden Vines® Awards. He is also Honorary President and Head of Fundraising at the Gérard Basset Foundation, which funds diversity & inclusivity education programmes globally in the wine, spirits & hospitality sectors. The Golden Vines® 2025 will take place in Miami, USA between 7-9 November 2025, recognising the world’s best fine wine estates as voted by hundreds of fine wine professionals. Please register your interest for tickets on the website: liquidicons.com/work/golden-vines-awards.
