Riesling Schoenenbourg Grand Cru 2017

A dry-vinified Riesling from Alsace at 14.0% vol., pale golden yellow in the glass. The nose is initially elegant and mineral; with a little air, stony notes are joined by apple peel and candied citron, and after longer opening by vine peach, apple compote, fragrant blossom and honey.

Schoenenbourg lies north of Riquewihr and stretches across the rather steep south- and southeast-facing slopes of the hill, at 265 to 380 metres. Its 53.4 hectares sit on a water-retentive, humus-rich subsoil of keuper, marl, dolomite and gypsum, overlaid with fine layers of quaternary gravel, Vosges sandstone and shell limestone, along with marly limestone.

Pure Riesling, dry-vinified. In the vineyards, traditional wooden échalas stakes support each vine individually, the soils are cover-cropped, copper and sulphur are kept to a minimum, and biodynamic preparations strengthen the vines' vitality. Andrée Trapet took over the family estate in 2002 and runs it with Jean-Louis Trapet; since 2018, day-to-day work has been in the hands of sons Pierre and Louis.

Velvety and juicy. The youthful fruit is wrapped in delicate sweetness, tempered by minerality and a subtle tannic grip. The wine is clearly still at the start of its journey and holds great potential for development and ageing; anyone opening it now should give it plenty of air.

After sufficient aeration, it pairs well with dishes that have a fruity and piquant edge: cauliflower and coconut curry, almond-crusted cod with preserved lemon sauce or scallops with vanilla-orange butter.

Trapet Alsace farms 15 hectares spread across the four Grand Crus Schlossberg, Schoenenbourg, Sonnenglanz and Sporen. The marl of Schoenenbourg yields complex, long-lived Rieslings.