A tasting of selected F. E. Trimbach wines with Jean Trimbach and George Miliotes MS at Wine Bar George (Orlando, FL)

I have been a fan of Trimbach wines since an epic, Jean-Trimbach-led tasting of the estate's high flyers (Clos Ste Hune, "Cuvée Frédéric Emilé") at the 2015 edition of TEXSOM. The quality of the wines, and Jean's dry-humor presentation style, render Trimbach tastings must-attend events. Jean recently brought his wines and style to a tasting at Orlando's Wine Bar George. I report on that tasting in this post.

The tasting was late getting started due to a delay in Jean transiting from a Disney event to Wine Bar George. That fact was quickly buried once Jean took the microphone into his hands.

Jean Trimbach and George Miliotes MS

The Trimbach family has been making wines in Alsace since 1626 and, according to Jean, three generations are currently involved in the functioning of the enterprise: the 11th generation, Bernard and Hubert, remain integrally involved in the business; the daily operations are managed by the 12th generation, the brothers Pierre and Jean; and Anne and Julien, members of the 13th generation, have recently entered the business.

Jean was fulsome in his praise of the microclimate governing the Alsace vineyards. He especially mentioned the Vosges Mountains which serves to protect the vineyards from cold winds and also, through its rainshadow effect, minimizes the amount of rainfall to which the area is exposed.

Trimbach's 55 ha of vineyards are located primarily in Ribeauvillé and surrounding towns (limestone-dominant soils) with a 2-ha plot in the granitic Grand Cru of Schlossberg. The distribution of the Trimbach vineyards are shown in the chart below.

As shown in the table below, Trimbach produces a wide array of wines. In general, the estate hand-harvests at maximum ripeness and transports the resulting fruit to the winery for further processing. At the winery the grapes are gently pressed and fermented in stainless steel -- and/or concrete vats -- for 2 to 3 weeks. The wine is bottled early to preserve freshness and retained in the cellar for a number of years before release on the market.

The figure below shows the subset of Trimbach wines that were included in the tasting.

Tasting Lineup

The first flight was comprised of the 2014 F. E. Trimbach Pinot-Gris "Réserve" and the 2012 Pinot-Gris "Réserve Personnelle" paired with a Big Board of Charcuterie.

The Big Board

According to Jean, Pinot Gris is a natural mutation from Pinot Noir and is very sensitive to rot. It takes on sugar rapidly and ripens easily. Fruit for the Réserve is sourced from estate and grower vineyards while the Réserve Personnelle is made from estate fruit only. 2014 was not an easy vintage, visited as it was by heavy rains and grey rot. In comparison, 2012 was a serene vintage.

The "Réserve Personnelle" was harvested close to vendages tardives (late harvest) level. This wine had a golden color with sweet white fruit and a honeyed nose. Rich, thick, honeyed on the first pass, giving way to a chalky minerality with citrus skin and spice.

The 2014 Réserve was fermented in a mix of stainless steel and concrete vats. Mustier smelling than its stable mate with lower levels of honey. More acid on the palate with a hint of oxidation. Relatively austere. Lime and a chalky finish.

The second flight included a 2015 Riesling Réserve and a 2015 Riesling Sélection de Vieilles Vignes, paired with a Frisée Salad.

Frisée Salad

Jean stipulated that 50% of Trimbach's production is Riesling. The 2015 vintage experienced very hot conditions but the grapes surprised winemakers by retaining high levels of acidity.

All grapes for the Riesling Réserve were rigorously selected from Trimbach vineyards in and around Ribeauvillé. The wine shows a waxiness, dried herbs, lime, and stone fruits on the nose. Light and crisp with a lengthy finish. Jean sees this wine as the steelier of the two.

The Vieilles Vignes label was produced for the first time in 2009 and the wine is always "softer" than the Réserve. Grapes were sourced from 50-year-old vines grown on marl and limestone parcels in Ribeauvillé-area vineyards. This wine had a clean nose with a lime-infused freshness, stone fruit, and minerality. Powerful and concentrated on the palate with a hint of pear. A lengthy mineral finish.

Next up was the 2011 Gewürtztraminer "Cuvée des Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre", accompanied by Crispy Mac & Cheese Bites.

Crispy Mac & Cheese Bites

Named in honor of the Lords of Ribeaupierre -- governors of Alsace during the Middle Ages -- this cuvée is only produced when the vintage is deemed to be of high enough quality. Grapes for this wine were sourced from 40-year-old vines from Ribeauvillé vineyards -- including Grand Cru Osterberg parcels.

Jean noted that 2011 had been a ripe vintage. The wine showed faded lychée and honeysuckle on the nose. Delicate and elegant on the palate. Balanced, with a lengthy finish.

The final dry-wine flight was the 2010 Riesling "Cuvée Frédéric Emile" and 2016 Riesling Grand Cru Schlossberg, both paired with an Ibérico Pork Pluma.

Iberico Pork Pluma

Grapes for the Riesling "Cuvée Frédéric Emile" were handpicked from the Geisberg and Osterberg Grand Cru vineyards. On the nose, petrol, citrus, and white flowers. Citrus, minerality and good acid levels on the palate. Medium weight. Mineral finish.

Schlossberg is the largest (80 ha) of the Alsace Grand Crus and Trimbach owns 2 ha therein. It was the first granitic vineyard that the estate owned so they had to learn its characteristics. Over time they have reduced the yields and have increased wine quality as a result. Only 400 cases are produced annually.

Restrained on the nose with hints of lemon-lime and petrol. Also restrained on the palate. Faded citrus and a mineral finish. I liked this wine a lot.

The dessert pairing was the 2007 Gewürtztraminer "Vendanges Tardives" with an Orange Blossom Trifle.

Orange Blossom Trifle

This late-harvest Gewürtztraminer is made with grapes sourced from Grand Cru Osterberg in Ribeauvillé and very old vines planted at the Muelforst site in Hunawihr. Lychee, apricot, peaches, and honey on the nose. Fresh and elegant, with purity of fruit. Honeyed, with a lengthy finish.

Jean Trimbach and the author

Wine Bar George staffers

Group pic

This was a wonderful tasting. The wines showed well, Jean showed well, the food was excellent, and the group's rendition of "Bring back my Trimbach to me" -- led, of course, by Jean, was memorable.

I have been to a few of these tastings at Wine Bar George and I am pleased at the commitment that George has shown by leveraging his contacts and acquaintances into high-quality tasting experiences for Orlando residents.


©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Tasting the Rieslings of Selbach-Oster with Johannes Selbach and George Miliotes MS

After his discourse on the Selbach-Oster environment, Johannes Selbach charted a course through the vineyard management and winemaking practices before turning his full attention to guiding us in the tasting of the estate's wines.

Selbach-Oster specializes in Riesling and experience, plus extended residency, are key inputs to their continuing success. The estate is farmed organically and sustainably with a goal of high quality through low yields. Grapes are hand-picked at optimal ripeness in multiple passes on the steep slopes (Grapes from the Anreicht, Schmitt, and Rotlay crus are block-picked in a single picking very late in the season.).

Johannes Selbach and George Miliotes MS

According to Johannes, winemaking at the estate is "super simplistic." Grapes are fermented by wild yeasts in fudres and stainless steel tanks. No enzymes or fining is employed during the fermentation/aging process.

Now on to the tasting.

Johannes feels that Riesling is misunderstood and under-appreciated by the general public because much of it is grown outside of the areas within which it does best. Selbach-Oster makes all styles of Rieslings with balance being a common thread. I have included the vineyards-holdings map from the prior post in order to provide context.

Flight 1

• 2012 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese Trocken
• 2016 Selbach-Oster Zetlinger Schlossberg "Bömer" Riesling

According to Johannes, these two single-vineyard wines are presented to show the contrast; Bömer is a cru (deep soil of decomposed slate) in its parent vineyard.

The Sonnenuhr was aged in old fudres. It showed citrus, honey, sweet grapefruit, and lime. Viscous and textured. Lengthy finish. Moving out of its primary phase. The Schlossberg shows passion fruit, florality, nuts, and a touch of honey. Elegant. Broader base than the Sonnenuhr and not as intense. More open on the palate. Delicate, spicy finish.

Flight 2

• 1983 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett Halbtrocken
• 2005 Selbach-Oster Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese Halbtrocken

Johannes indicated that 1983 was a classic vintage in Mosel. The Schlossberg had a honeyed nose with accompanying notes of nuts, fresh herbs and mint. Elegant. Balanced, with a lengthy finish.

2005 was also an excellent vintage which yielded "super-ripe" grapes that were fermented slowly in cool conditions. The Graacher Domprobst was nutty with oxidative notes surrounding honey, citrus, cocoa, and caramel. Caramel on the palate.

Flights 1 and 2 lineup

Dungeness Crab Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Flight 3

• 2016 Selbach-Oster Mosel Riesling Kabinett
• 2008 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett
• 1985 Selbach-Oster Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett

The 2016 Mosel Riesling Kabinett is the estate Kabinett and the estate's best-selling wine. The grapes are picked early to keep the potential alcohol in check while providing great fruit and acidity for the backbone.  Slate, sweet ripe fruit, citrus, and minerality on the nose along with a hint of yeastiness. Fruit and acidity notable on the palate along with salinity. Rich. Beautiful.

The Schlossberg had a rich golden color. Oxidative notes, butterscotch, and lime on the nose. Thick, rich, and nutty on the palate with umami in the mid-portions. Juicy. Long, rich, mineral finish.

The Graacher Himmelreich was the product of a classic late-ripening vintage. Herbaceous, with lime and blackpepper present. Rounder on the palate than was the case with the stablemates. High acid levels. Lime, herbs, and a savory character on the palate.

Flight 3 lineup

Riesling-Braised Veal Short Ribs with
Wild Mushroom Risotto

Flight 4

• 2009 Selbach-Oster Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese
• 2001 Selbach-Oster Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese
• 1990 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese
• 1976 Selbach-Oster Wehlener Hofberg Riesling Spätlese

The year 2009 was warm, with a bright autumn and longer hang time for the grapes. Peach, apricot, lime, and herbs on the nose. Bright, young, sweet and succulent on the palate. Primary fruit phase. The acidity provides the structure to carry the wine's weight.

2001 was a classic vintage. Herbs, tobacco, and lemon on the nose. Younger on the palate. Acidity engages salivary glands. Some hardness on the fruit but definitely ripe. Limey finish.

1990 was a great vintage with weather originating from the Russian plains and no instances of botrytis. The vintage was characterized by fantastic ripeness and great acidity. The wine shows some resemblance to the 1983 and 1985 in relation to herbaceousness. Thick, rich, honeyed nose with nuttiness, mint, rosemary, and dried herbs. Acidity, leanness, and limeskin on the palate. Beautiful wine.

1976 saw tons of botrytis and very little Spätlese in the region. Eucalyptus and mint on the nose and palate. Salinity, acidity, and eucalyptus define the palate.

Flight 4 lineup

Flight 5

• 2016 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Himmelrich Riesling Auslese
• 2006 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Beerenauslese

2016 was a good vintage. A warm summer, with last-minute rain, and a fall without rain meant no botrytis. The wine was delicately fragrant. Elegant. Fresh and succulent. Great acidity. Balanced, with a lengthy finish. Johannes does not see this wine being sweet enough to pair with heavy desserts but, in his opinion, it is a classic Mosel Auslese that will age for 50+ years.

Johannes thinks that 2006 was the greatest vintage ever and this particular wine was the best sweet wine in all of Germany in 2008. Botrytis, beeswax, honey, golden buttered caramel. Layered. Balanced complexity of sugar and acidity. Salivary glands exercised intensely.

Flight 4 lineup

Apple Bread Pudding

This was an excellent tasting on all fronts:

• The environment was well-suited to the event with the openness providing lots of light but also a nice flow of air into and through the space
• There was a wide range of wines from across the producer's portfolio and an excellent mix of older and newer wines
• The estate principal was present and provided a true Masterclass. This was a very informative session
• The food was absolutely phenomenal. I have been to this venue a number of times now and I am still to come across a dish that I did not like.
• The wines were excellent. With the exception of the 1976 Riesling Spätslese (I wish the acid level was a little higher), I found these wines to be balanced regardless of the sweetness level on the label. A number of them were truly elegant. 

Thank you George for putting this event together. Thank you Johannes for producing such excellent wines and presenting them in the authoritative -- yet fun -- manner that you employ.


©Wine -- Mise en abyme

A Riesling tasting with Johannes Selbach (Selbach-Oster) and George Miliotes MS: The environment

The excitement was palpable in Wine Bar George's Barrel Room. Attendees had gathered for a much-anticipated tasting of the wines of Selbach-Oster, said tasting to be led by the current principal Johannes Selbach. I was happy to see the overwhelming response to George's continuing effort to bring back high-quality, estate-principal-led tastings to the Orlando area.

The tasting was titled "An Epic Afternoon of Riesling with Johannes Selbach and George Miliotes" and the advertised lineup of wines pointed to it being so. The tasting would include 13 of the estate's wines in four flights, with some of the wines issuing from watershed vintages.

In his opening remarks, George remarked that he had been friends with Johannes for over 30 years and what a pleasure it was to have him here in person to helm the tasting. At the conclusion of his remarks George turned the floor over to Johannes.

George's opening remarks

Johannes thanked us for being there and then launched into a description of the Selbach-Oster environment. His family has been making wine in the central part of the Mosel for over 400 years. The 24-ha property is populated with mostly old (some up to 100 years old), ungrafted (55%) Riesling (98% with the remainder being Pinot Blanc), the indigenous variety of the region.

Johannes Selbach

Riesling, according to Johannes, is adapted to cold and the long growing season. Mosel is the largest growing region in the world, thanks in large part to its soil and microclimate. The soil is a slate called Blue Devonian and originates from ocean-floor deposits laid down bertween 440 and 400 million years ago. This soil is similar to the soils found in the Douro (Portugal) and Priorat (Spain).

Mosel has a northern continental climate and this, in combination with the river, provides a microclimate that is advantageous for grapegrowing. The river wends its way through the region and reflects the suns rays, supplementing the ripening effect of direct sunlight on the fruit. The river also serves as a store of heat during the day and releases that warmth back into the vineyards during the nighttime. The hillsides bordering the river are very steep -- up to 60% in some cases -- and mostly south-facing, allowing direct sunlight for the better part of the day.

By Friedrich Petersdorff - Own work, CC BY-SA 2.0 de,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8938732

The soil is rocky and meager, forcing the vines to send their roots deep in search of water and nutrients. The soils are endowed with slate stones which, like the river, provide both reflective and warmth-storage functions. These conditions, according to Selbach-Oster, permit a "long, gentle growing season and a markedly late harvest" with concomitant benefits to the fruit and wine.

Turning from the general to the specific, we see that Selbach-Oster owns five key sites on the right bank of the heart of the middle Mosel and, further, three highly rated crus within the first three of these. the details of these holdings are featured in the figure below.

Once Johannes had completed his overview of the Selbach-Oster environment, he pivoted to the actual tasting. I iwll cover that phase in a subsequent post


©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Wine Bar George: Positive vibes emanating from Disney Springs (Lake Buena Vista, FL)

I had high expectations for the recently opened, George-MiliotesMS-led Wine Bar George (WBG) project at Disney Springs; the final product exceeded all my expectations.

George has been around the Orlando food and wine scene for some time having: (i) been a part of the California Grill (Disney's Contemporary Resort) opening team; (ii) managed that restaurant from 1995 to 2002; and (iii) headed up the Darden Restaurant wine program from an Orlando base from 2002 until he left to pursue the WBG project. Having known, and appreciated, George's body of work over his career, I was keenly interested in what he would bring to the table in this effort.

I was unable to visit WBG when it opened initially. I noticed an upcoming Rosé tasting on the site and decided I would make that my first foray into the enterprise. On the morning of the event I went onto the website to purchase my tickets and was greeted by a message saying that it was sold out. I thought that maybe an in-person plea would yield better results so we hit the road, headed for Disney Springs.

It is a bit of a walk from the parking lot to WBG but, as I approached, I was immediately pleased with what I could see of the upper-level balcony. A fully subscribed balcony, I might add. I was even more pleased when I stepped inside and saw the centrally located bar with off-bar seating on both sides and a stairway in the distance leading to the upper level. The hostess stand was to the right immediately upon entrance. The setting was light, bright, and airy and filled with the hum of wine-infused conversation and the hustle and bustle of bartenders and waiters working in a busy environment.

After having my pleas for entry to the Rosé tasting fall on deaf ears, I sheepishly informed my crew that there would be no Rosé tasting but that we would hang out at this wonderful bar and have a good time anyway. They were cool with that. So we did. And we did.

It was busy but, after a while, we were able to snag four seats. A quick perusal of the menu assured me that there was more than enough food and wine to keep our interest levels high (as a matter of fact, there are 100 separate by-the-glass labels on offer).

We started out with a cheese board and a Tasmanian Sparkling Wine. The board was attractive in its setup and the cheeses were very interesting. I had not previously had the Tasmanian wine. I liked it. We followed this up with an Octopus ceviche and a Txakolina. Our final wine of the night was a 2013 Arpepe.

My takeaway from the day?

• The wine list was unlike any other in Orlando in terms of diversity and depth
• The food aligned very well with the wines on offer and the concept
• The service was stellar
• Foot traffic at the bar was high.

During the visit I congratulated George on the space and vowed to be back.

By the middle of the following week I had put together a group to have lunch at the bar on Friday. Jairo, Sommelier at WBG, reached out to help set things up.

When we arrived we were taken upstairs into a small room set off the rear dining room (itself called the Barrel Room).

Bev, Ron, Scott, and Brian. 

Over the course of the afternoon we tasted most of the items on the menu. The food is tasty and of extremely high quality. The Executive Chef, Ron Rupert, had worked with George at California Grill and has put together an exciting menu of small plates and larger, family style dishes with no diminution of quality between the two styles. We ordered two each of the tapas dishes and one each of the large plates. This is among the best food in Orlando. A subset of the dishes that we shared are shown below.

Octopus Ceviche

House-Made Meatballs

Skirt Steak

In addition to the dishes shown, I would highly recommend the Hummus and Chicken Skewers (to die for) from the Tapas menu and both the Sea Bass and the Wine-Braised Chicken from the large plates.

Our nightcap wine and George behind the bar

We paid another visit on Wednesday for validation purposes. This place is valid.

And it has the smell of a long-term success around it. The combination of George's wine knowledge, managerial skills, and demonstrated startup skills; the skills of the Executive Chef and the high quality of the meals this early in the cycle; the staff quality and eagerness to please; the wine list; the look and feel of the establishment; the location; and the manner in which locals are warmly welcomed, all point to a very positive long-term result.

We needed something like this in Orlando and George has delivered.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme