91 points, Robert Parker, Wine Advocate February 2008 With the 2004 Riesling Schlossberg Cuvee Saint Catherine l’Inedit the vintage shows its forte, capturing loads of pungently spicy, resinous, citrus zesty, honeyed, musky botrytis-inflected ripeness yet a well-contained degree of bitterness more than offset by the wine’s sheer richness, not to mention nearly 30 grams of residual sugar. Candied citrus, marmalade, and marzipan give this a patisserie-like cast, but the finishing sweetness remains discreet. Where there’s smoke there may eventually be fire, and I would opt for enjoying this botrytis-inflected beauty over the next 5-7 years but on no account lose track of it in the cellar! The dynamic trio of Fallers continues to bottle some of France’s (hardly just Alsace’s) richest and most flamboyant wines. Beginning with 2005, all of their vineyards are being biodynamically farmed. Laurence Faller finds their 2005s in general “more focused and clear” (this was especially true of Riesling) despite their often prominent botrytis component, and the 2004s richer. I suppose it goes without saying, but one has to carefully scrutinize each Weinbach label, so numerous are the cuvees. And as wonderful as is the distinctiveness exhibited by the vast majority of wines here, even a geek like yours truly could be forgiven for asking whether somewhat fewer different ottling might benefit consumers as well as journalists!
92 points, Wine Spectator July 2006 Bursting with apricot, grapefruit and floral notes, here's an opulent Riesling that makes a statement, yet remains grounded with a vibrant structure and fine mineral character. Drink now through 2015. 135 cases imported. (BS)
About 2004 Weinbach, Domaine Riesling Grand Cru Schlossberg Cuvee St Catherine l'Inedit Riesling
About the Winery Weinbach, Domaine At the foot of the majestic Schlossberg hill stands Domaine Weinbach, one of the finest estates in all of Alsace. It is run with consummate skill and total dedication by Colette Faller and her two daughters: Catherine as marketing director and Laurence as winemaker. They have the fortune to be working on some of the best soil in Frence, most notably the prestigious "Schlossberg" vineyard, the first terroir in Alsace to have received the status of Grand Cru. The Grand Cru "Furstentum," Grand Cru "Mambourg" and the adjacent "Altenbourg" vineyards make up much of the rest of the domaine's 62 acres of land, all rising above the "Clos des Capucins" vineyard, established in 1612 by the Order of Capucin monks. The grapes are hand-harvested, pressed directly as whole clusters in modern horizontal pnuematic presses. After maturation in large, ancient oak casks using only indigenous yeasts, the wine is filtered and then bottled, starting in April and finishing in mid-July. The result is an exceptional portfolio of wines noted for their balance, finesse, intensity and concentration. Famed critic Robert Parker is convinced that "Colette and her daughter Laurence...pushed Weinbach to the pinnacle of Alsace's qualitative pyramid," producing some of the most richly concentrated top-tier wines in France.
About the Wine Riesling is the prized grape of Alsace and also holds a special place at Domaine Weinbach. The domain's Rieslings have a fine and delicate fruitiness, tend to be racy, nervy, dry, and long on the palate. They can be opulent and concentrated, pairing well with various foods such as cooked or raw fish, shellfish and seafood, coq au vin, some white meat dishes, and goat cheese.
The Schlossberg site at Weinbach is home to most of its Riesling wines, excluding the Riesling Reserve and the Cuvee Theo which come from the Clos des Capucins. The rich soil of Schlossberg lends itself extremely well to Riesling, giving it a very pure fruitiness, personality, and remarkable finesse. The soils are sandy and rich in minerals, not very deep at the top of the slope but grow deeper on the descent.
Weinbach's Schlossberg Sainte Catherine L'Inedit ("the original one") is from the most beautiful plots on the Schlossberg hill. The L'Inedit is only produced when Riesling reaches an exceptional maturity, making it a very special wine. It has bursts of exotic aromas and flavors such as orange blossom, honey, peach, pineapple, and flowers. It is a full-bodied, dense wine with a nice minerality good acidity. Superb with lobster and scallops.
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