93 points, Robert Parker, Wine Advocate February 2008 From largely old vines in the middle slope of the cru, Weinbach’s 2005 Riesling Schlossberg Cuvee Saint Catherine smells in a by now very familiar manner of citrus oil, peach kernel, smoke and spice, here with a pineapple overtone. Enormously ripe and lush, with tropical tendencies to its fruit and deep nut oil richness, this nevertheless also displays the most prominent and stony mineral character and the tightest, brightest coil of acidity of any Weinbach 2005 Riesling, and its long finish is truly dry-tasting. This intense beauty should we well worth following – indeed improve – over at least a 12-15 year period, and those (like this taster) who are most fascinated by mature Riesling will – after a prudent interim assessment – probably choose to hold it longer. 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, Stephen Tanzer July 2007 ($66; from 62-year-old vines on the midslope) Pale yellow. Powerful stony minerality lifts the aromas of pineapple, grapefruit and citrus rind. Juicy, high-pitched and penetrating, with the powerful mineral character stimulating the salivary glands. This has strong acidity (actually the highest here since '96, notes Laurence Faller) but a touch of sweetness gives it near-perfect balance and prevents it from coming off as hard. The long finish throws off hints of minerals, fresh herbs and mint. This was also bottled in 375 ml. and 1.5 liter format.
91 points, Wine Spectator May 2007 This aromatic white shows lime-tinged flavors of apricot and red grapefruit. The racy acidity keeps it balanced and structured, with a white pepper–filled finish. Drink now through 2018.—B.S.
About 2005 Weinbach, Domaine Riesling Grand Cru Schlossberg Cuvee Ste. Catherine
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 Riesling Schlossberg Sainte Catherine comes from the domaine's oldest Riesling plots situated in the middle portion of the slope. It is the richest of their flight of dry Rieslings, it boasts a very comlpex set of aromas and flavors including peach, smoke, minerals, apple, and vanilla. It has a fresh finish and can paired wonderfully with fish, lobster, and poultry dishes.
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