Tasting the wines of Luxembourg

These notes accompany our in-depth feature on Luxembourg. For profiles of all of these estates please see Regional report: Luxembourg. The best kept secret in wine?


Vinsmoselle

Poll-Fabaire Crémant 2003
Lovely golden colour and very small bubbles. Nice bready and buttery notes, with plenty of peachy fruit and little toasty richness. On the palate lovely breadth, with a fairly high dosage for a brut, but just adding depth and roundness to a full, creamy mid palate. Lovely acidity, with lemon adding plenty of zest and keeping the creamy mousse nice and crisp and racy. 89/100

Crémant Cuvee Brut
The basic wine of this top range Crémant label, one of Luxembourg’s biggest sellers with 600000 bottles. Off-dry, but very nice quality, with a great purity of pear fruit cut by a pithy grapefruit acidity, and with a zesty, refreshing and racy character. 87/100

Art et Vin 20 Auxerrois 2005
Lovely limpid, soft peach down quality with succulent, apricot and gently mealy notes. The palate is delightful, with crisply defined character of stone fruits riven with a gentle orange and lemon zest acidity. Nice length and a long, pure, well-balanced finish. 88/100

Blanc de Pinot Noir 2006
Some soft, quite yeasty aromas with a touch of apple and a background suggestion of herbs. The palate is just off dry, with no distinct Pinot Noir character, but pleasant, easy fruit and very good balance of its easy-drinking style. 85/100

Art et Vin No 20 Pinot Gris Wellenstein 2005
Very sophisticated, alluring nose with honey and crushed almond notes and a fine, juicy, succulent quality with some fig and some notes of clove and spice. Mouth-filling fruit, with a pure, limpid quality that’s just off dry with refined acidity and lovely balance that is tantalisingly pitched between fruit, sweetness and acidity. 88/100

Vendange Tardive Pinot Gris 2006
Luscious honey, fig and spice nose with nectarine fruit and lovely sense of richness. Concentrated, silky and beautiful fruit quality with terrific fruit and gorgeously long, spicy, orange marmalade fruit. Excellent quality. 91/100

Riesling Vin de Glace 2004
2004 was the most recent vintage when an icewine was possible. Laden with honey, and thick, juicy apricot. Lovely notes of tea and fig, with fine, thick juicy fruit on the palate reminiscent of apricot and Seville orange, but all lightened by shimmering lemon acidity. Delightful. 91/100

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Domaine Mme Aly Duhr

Domaine Mme Aly Duhr et Fils Pinot Gris Machtum Hohfels 2005
Intense, fairly closed, but a definite schisty minerality. Pear and crisp orchard fruit character comes through. The palate has lovely balance, with the sweetness and suggestion of honeyed ripeness playing against a nicely pitched core of acidity – not just pithy, but something quite waxy, fat and lemony, but balanced and taut. 90/100

Domaine Madame Aly Duhr Pinot Gris Grand Premier Cru 2002
Sumptuous nose of honey, oatmeal and crushed almond, with creaminess and a soft pear and stone fruit character. Limpid, mineral palate, with that dry fruit character but such a burgeoning richness and ripeness that it fleshes the whole picture out. Lovely stuff that is racy and grippy, yet luscious. More clay soils give this richness as opposed to the chalk of Mon Vieux Moulin. 91/100

Domaine Madame Aly Duhr Pinot Gris Grand Premier Cru 1989
Plenty of pink/gold colour. Fabulous nose with caramel and vanilla pod notes, and masses of nutty, rich, almost figgy fruit. The palate is dry, with an orangy note to the fruit, with some waxy, smoky edges and that big, pithy minerality in the finish that is dry and mouth-watering. Fabulous stuff. 91/100

Domaine Madame Aly Duhr Riesling Domaines et Tradition 2005
Clear, pure minerality here, with lightly salty and waxy notes, but mostly a focus on pure lemon and crisp underripe apple fruit. The palate has really good fruit with plenty of fat, waxy lemon fruit bursting though, but then immediately constrained by that minerality. 89/100

Domaine Madame Aly Duhr Riesling 1986
Lovely minerality here, with tiny nuances of petrol an plenty of schisty, waxy, nectarine skin and Tamarillo character. Bone dry, with elegant, clean white fruit and lemon, but really driven by intense minerality. Tasted on its own like this, a touch austere perhaps, but this just needs some food as the length and structure is superb. 90/100

Domaine Madame Aly Duhr Riesling 1997
Beautiful minerality here, with fat lemon, beeswax and a touch of lime, in amongst very crisp acidity. Palate too has some fat and sweet fruit, with lovely weight. Balanced and really delicious, a little peachy tropicality developing in the finish, with lovely balance. 89/100

Domaine Madame Aly Duhr Auxerrois ‘Montée des Seigneurs’ 2005
A late-harvested wine, aged one year in older barriques. Expressive, nutty nose, with plenty of range peel and orange blossom, and some spice and nutty vanilla. On the palate, quite luscious, with delightful, crisp character, and a really pithy, dry minerality. This has plenty of grip and a touch of tannin, waxiness. Not so fresh and crisp on the finish as the palate, but structured and layered. 89/100

Domaine Madame Aly Duhr Riesling Vin de Glace 2004
Very fruity, with citrus and peachy fruit, honey. Fleshy and fat, sweet, peach flesh character in the palate, with more sweetness apparent than in the Aly Duhr wine, more vibrancy and punch, but ultimately less complexity. An immediately rewarding wine, and delicious. 89/100

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Clos Mon Vieux Moulin

Clos Mon Vieux Moulin Domaines et Tradition Auxerrois 1991
Deep golden yellow colour. Quite nutty, with a honey and cashew character. A tiny bit oxidised. Palate has a hint of sweetness, with a limpid, honeyed note over apricot and dry, yellow plum flavours. There’s a definite minerality comes through in the finish leaving this quite grippy with a fennel like note. Very interesting, but also of really good quality. 88/100

Clos Mon Vieux Moulin Domaines et Tradition Auxerrois 1999
Has also taken on some colour, with a tiny note of salty minerality in amongst some oatmeal and stone fruit aromas. Much more fresh than the 1991, with a bite of lime and grapefruit, and a vibrancy that shimmers in the mouth. Very good acidity here, with a pithy quality of grapefruit zest playing against the sweetness of fruit. Beautiful wine. 90/100

Clos Mon Vieux Moulin Domaines et Tradition Auxerrois 2006
There’s a creaminess and overripe note here, but very pure pear fruit and yellow plum comes through, with a sherbetty minerality. On the palate there is really vibrant acidity, with a chalky edge of minerality and more of that grapefruit and lemon pith dryness. Much more nimble and light on the palate, with the raciness of youth. Delightful. 89/100. Selling at cellar door for Euros 7.20.

Clos Mon Vieux Moulin Auxerrois 2006
Very pale green colour. Refined, delicate, floral edged nose with plenty of crisp apple fruit and a pith grapefruit note. Bone dry palate, with the ripeness of fruit that is there: apple and pear and a touch of exotic papaya or mango – is submerged under a layer of crisp, dry, pithy acidity. Very good. 88/100

Clos Mon Vieux Moulin Wintringer Feltsberg Pinot Gris 1996
Masses of honey and truffle, and dried fruit notes of some Botrytis. Spices, melon and a suggestion of quite fat fruit. On the palate bone dry, with masses of lemony fruit and pithy acidity. Mouth-watering stuff, with a dry minerality and some real tang and vibrancy in the finish. 88/100

Clos Mon Vieux Moulin Wintringer Feltsberg Pinot Gris 1993
A little truffly note at first, with some stony minerality and plenty of dry, plummy fruit. Again the palate here is bone dry, verging on the austere, with masses of pithy, chalky grapefruit and lemon pith mineral dryness. This has fruit too, but a dry quality. A wine crying out for fruit, but there is terrific quality here and good length. 89/100

Clos Mon Vieux Moulin Riesling Palmberg 1991
Plenty of ripeness and a little rotted orange note of Botrytis, with a palate that marries fine, ripe fruit to well-judged acidity. Has a little weight on the mid-palate, with waxy weight and lovely richness coming through. Very dry, pithy finish. 90/100

Clos Mon Vieux Moulin Riesling Palmberg 1993
Very smoky notes here, with sesame seed and lemon poppy seed pound cake. Freshness on the palate, with a herbal quality and fine, dry lemon pith and mineral acidity. Lovely persistence and intensity here. 90/100

Clos Mon Vieux Moulin Riesling Palmberg 1959
One of 12 remaining bottles in the family cellar. Jean has tasted the 1885 (in 1996). Moderately deep yellow colour, with a nose of spices, candied orange peel and beeswax. On the palate there is still terrific life and zest here, with pin-sharp acidity still that is pure and focused, and a mealliness to the flavour and texture on the mid-palate. There is orange again, and a waxiness to the fruit, and long, tantalising finish. A great experience. 92/100

Clos Mon Vieux Moulin Auxerrois ‘Pailette’ Vin de Paille 2005
14.5% ABV. Lovely pear, peach and orange blossom notes with plenty of fruit. The palate has delicious sweetness, with some grip and tannin, but such limpid, honeyed but clean nectarine juice and pear syrup fruit. Good acidity, which leaves this fairly thick and luscious, but has enough acidity to freshen. Lovely style and finesse here. 89/100

Clos Mon Vieux Moulin Riesling Vin de Glace 2004
Barrel-aged. Herbs and wax, and little notes of seeds and nuts with plenty of honey. Honey and lemon on the palate, with a shimmering core of pure lime and lemon zest acidity, and a sherbetty, fresh mineral acidity. Lovely balance and complexity here. 90/100


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Domaine Alice Hartmann

Alice Hartmann Crémant Brut
Riesling, chardonnay and pinot vinified in barrique. 2000 bottles. Plenty of oak apparent, with toast and charry notes, that are rather unintegrated at this stage. But lovely fruit beneath, and a note of herbs and nettles, with masses of slightly pithy acidity. A very profound and serious take on Cremant, that I’d like to taste with a couple of years in bottle 88/100

Alice Hartmann Riesling Wormeldange Koeppchen La Chapelle 2006
Lovely, delicate floral notes of apple blossom and downy peach, with just a fine, talcumy touch of chalky minerality. The palate is dry, with plenty of pithy, dry lemon acidity and lemony fruit. There is very nice ripeness, and a hint of breadth on the mid palate, but this is tangy, fresh and shimmers with life. 89/100 Chalky soils

Alice Hartmann Riesling Wormeldange Koeppchen Les Terraces 2006
Perhaps slightly more refined, subtle, mineral, but still that delicate peachiness. Lovely palate of cool, refined, crisp pear and green apple fruit. Delightful acidity here, very precise and mineral and less aggressively pithy. Gorgeous stuff finishing dry with grapefruit freshness. 90/100

Alice Hartmann Riesling Wormeldange Koeppchen Selection de Chateau 2006
Extremely pure, refined and elegant, with subtle peach and apricot fruit and a crystalline salty minerality. There’s a touch of green apple too, that continues onto the palate. Huge grapefruity palate, with terrific intensity and masses of zest. Lemon and lime, and a stony, precise, cool mineral quality shines through. Fantastic wine with beautiful, crisp balance. 92/100

Alice Hartmann Chardonnay Clos du Kreitzerberg-Grevenmacher 2006
Very pale lemony yellow, with plenty of creamy vanillin oak. Plenty of butter and oak, with some very clean orchard fruit. The oak is adding a sweet yet astringent note too, with very acidity. This seems to be of extremely high quality, and once the copious oak integrates, it is definitely a wine with capacity and structure to be very fine. 89/100

Alice Hartmann Pinot Noir Clos du Kreitzerberg-Grevenmacher 2005
Pale ruby colour, with nice spice, herbs, a touch of earthiness and raspberry fruit. Good acidity and fine. Fruit through the mid palate. Lacks a little flesh and real fruit sweetness, but very good at 11 euros. 88/100

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Charles Decker

Charles Decker Crémant de Luxembourg NV
Blend of 2003 -2005. Has a nice yeastiness, with plenty of nettly verve and lemon fruit. Palate is very expressive, with masses of vibrant fruit. Real personality. 88/100

Charles Decker Pinot Blanc 2005
Harvested in October. A touch of nettle and of oxidation. On the palate some good character comes through, with a blast of sour plum fruit and lovely pithy grapefruit acidity that powers through. Any hint of sweetness is powered away. Delicious. 90/100

Charles Decker Riesling Vin de Glace 2004
Fine, fat, honey and barley sugar notes. Little notes of toast and fig. Delicious palate, with plenty of richness and thickness but a fantastic Seville orange marmalade tartness and cut. Very good. 91/100

Charles Decker Pinot Gris Vin de Paille 2006
Gentle, toasty, apricot and sweet tobacco nose. Delightfully luscious palate, where the thick, syrupy richness is underpinned by masses of fresh fruit reminiscent of apricot and orange. The palate has all sorts of nuances; tobacco, fudge, dried glace fruits. Lovely length and balance. 92/100

Charles Decker Gewürztraminer Vin de Paille 2006
Less aromatic than I might expect, but nicely creamy and apricot fruit. On the palate more delicate than the pinot gris, but also less intense and explosive. Lovely gentle honey and smokiness in the finish. A fine counterpoint to the PG and lovely. 90/100

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Bernard-Massard

Bernard Massard Crémant Cuvée de L’Ecusson 2003
Lovely pale gold and steady stream of bubbles. Fine, lightly honeyed and very gently toasty. Clean, fruity peach and ripe apple fruit. Plenty of weight and a hint of richness on the palate, with quite mellow toast and fruit, but very crisp, quite fat lemony fruit and acidity comes through. Mostly Riesling and Pinot Blanc. 88/100

Bernard Massard Brut NV
Made from international wines and will retail in UK at £7.99. Very nice colour with abundant small bubbles rising in centre of the glass. Attractive fresh and fruity pear and red apple fruit. Fresh, just off-dry, with plenty of easy-going fruit and a nice core of lemony acidity that is fresh and appetising. 86/100 In UK

Bernard Massard Brut Rosé Pinot Noir NV
Nice, distinct strawberry-scented Pinot Noir fruit, with a gentle character. A combination of Sud Tirol pinot noir wine, and Pfalz Pinot Noir grapes that are vinified as a Saignee method. Crisp, fairly dry and delicate palate, with perhaps a little lack of depth on the mid-palate, but very crisp and elegant in the finish. 86/100 In UK

Château de Schengen Pinot Blanc 2005
Very attractive floral, lightly musky, very aromatic wine, with ripe pear fruit. Palate has some fruit sweetness, but quickly becomes dry and quite pithy as fruit gives way to and apple acidity. 7gm residual sugar, 11%. Grown on schisty soils common in Schengen. Label features a drawing by Victor Hugo. 87/100

Domaine Clos des Rochers Riesling Grevenmacher Groaerd 2004
“Riesling Grey”. Pale lemony green colour, with clean, lightly floral and peach blossom aromas. Nice hint of fatter, waxy lemon and lime, with a fine acidity. Has some weight, though perhaps finishes a little short. Very good Riesling character though. Harvested late in a good, average year. 12 year old wines. One hectare of single vineyard. 87/100

Domaine Clos des Rochers Riesling 2003
Fine herbal, nettle and subtle, waxy notes. More minerality than the regular 2004 tasted earlier. The palate has a dry, decisive acid character, with crisp apple fruit and some lemon rind, over a pure, clean, very taut acid structure. 88/100

Domaine Clos des Rochers Riesling Vendange Tardive 2003 Fut 155
A selection of Botrytis grapes, harvested early October, with others that were dried – almost vin de paille – but not Botrytised. . Only 105 litres produced in total. Very attractive, but delicate nose, with wax and floral aromas, but not a powerful Botrytis character. On the palate medium bodied and has a certain lusciousness. Real concentration on the mid-palate, with intense apricot fruit, but at the same time very fresh, with a crisp mineral and lemon pith. Ultimately could be accused of being fairly simple, but lovely quality and finesse 90/100

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Gales / Caves St Martin

St Martin Crémant Rose Brut Very nice delicate strawberry fruit. A fine lemony palate with good sharpness and some tart raspberry fruit.

St Martin Auxerrois De Nos Rochers GPC 2006
Creamy, bright, softly fruity and approachable, nice pear and apple fruit. On the palate it is also open and easy to drink, with fine, clear fruit and just a little skinny/tannin grip. Good grapefruity acidity keeps this crisp and balanced, playing against the sweetness of fruit and 7gms RS. 87/100

St Martin Pinot Blanc De Nos Rochers GPC 2006
Very slightly creamy and mealy quality over pure white fruits here. Pear and juicy red apple bursts onto the palate, with lots of life about it and a certain sweetness again, but quickly sliced through by a lemon pith, clean and quite mineral acidity. Very clean and stylish. 88/100

St Martin Pinot Gris De Nos Rochers GPC 2006
More apricot and peach and deeper scents, with a touch of honey and smoke. The palate has plenty of fruit, with life and tang about it, the fruit being pear and juicy apple again, but adds lots of citrus zest and a streak of minerality. Zesty and very nicely balanced with a persistent finish. 88/100

Gales Crémant Heritage Brut 2003
50% Pinot Blanc, 30% Riesling and the rest Auxerrois, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Fine, delicately fruity nose with a touch of florality. The palate has very crisp, clean, well-delineated fruit and freshness, with apple and lemon zest and a little salty tang that is refreshing and quite dry in the finish. Plenty of finesse without much complexity 86/100

Gales Auxerrois Remich Hopertsbour GPC 2005
Bright, focused, yellow plum and pear fruit. Nice juicy, deep, full-flavoured palate with considerable finesse and plenty of cool apple and grapefruity acidity offsetting the sweetness of fruit and a little residual sugar. 88/100

Gales Riesling Wellenstein Kurschels GPC 2005
Fine, dry, stony character and cool underripe apple and melon fruit, but all quite subdued and steely. Palate has a pithy dryness with grapefruit and lemon to the fore and raciness to the structure with crisp acids. 88/100

Gales Pinot Gris Wellenstein Foulschette GPC 2005
Suggestion of sweet-fruited richness with lots of pear, peach and stone fruit. Tangy, quite grippy palate, but has finesse again with fresh acidity and a lovely fruit/acid balance. 88/100

Gales Pinot Blanc Domaine et Tradition 2004
A touch of toffee fleetingly, then ripe orchard fruits and little glimpses of something floral. The palate has some weight and texture, but the driving force here is tangy citrus fruit, with a chalky, dry minerality starting to come through and a dry pithy finish. Very stylish again. 88/100

Gales Riesling Domaine et Tradition 2004
A great Riesling vintage according to Marc Gales. Big, luscious, honeyed nose, with hints of tropical fruit but then a certain cool, classy apple and melon quality. On the palate fairly dry, but with a good concentration of fruit, rounded out with a little toffee or caramel, but with a mineral, white acidity keeping things very fresh. 89/100

Gales Pinot Gris Domaine et Tradition 2004
Excellent fruit here, with vivacious life about it. Powerful concentration, with a refreshing grip and zesty tang, lots of pithy dry qualities and then the tropicality comes through on the palate again, even hinting at pineapple and mango. Very well-balanced, and the pithy dryness is really matched by the fruit and a bit of textural weight in this case. 89/100

Gales Crémant de Luxembourg Riesling Jubilee Brut
A little touch of honey or toffee precedes fresh, zippy fruit with a very creamy, persistent mousse. The palate ha a softer edge than I expected (thankfully) with the razor sharp cirrus and mineral freshness all there, but a softening touch of sweetness. 87/100

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Domaine Cep d’Or

Domaine Cep d’Or Pinot Blanc Stadtbredimus Goldberg GPC 2002
Very subtle herb and straw-like aromas, with minerality but not a lot of fruit on the nose at first. Does open in the glass. The palate is fresh and crisp, with some weight there. And a little waxiness to the fruit. A fine fruitiness does emerge, with some banana and ripe, juicy pear. Well balanced and very juicy yet fresh. 88/100 8.0% Acidity, 5.8 % Residual Sugar.

Domaine Cep d’Or Pinot Blanc Stadtbredimus Goldberg GPC 2006
Again a very subtle, in this case rather closed nose with crisp pear and apple. A touch of lemon sherbet. On the palate this has plenty of verve and crispness, with grapefruit and lemon to the fore, and some dry apple and lemon acidity. Very crisp and fresh, and quite fleshy in the finish, with very good balance. 88/100 7.5% acidity, 6.0% RS.

Domaine Cep d’Or Auxerrois Stadtbredimus Primerberg GPC 2002
Decanted before pouring, this has an open, attractive, floral and peach nose, with exotic fruit notes suggesting pineapple and nectarine. On the palate bone dry, with an oatmeal and buttery note and fairly full texture. Has very nice balance, though I’d have liked more fruit coming through perhaps. 87/100 8.0% acidity, 2.7% RS.

Domaine Cep d’Or Auxerrois Stadtbredimus Primerberg GPC 2003
Ripe pear and peach fruit, and a little note of straw. Gentle almondy quality. On the palate much more vivacious, with a citrus juiciness to the fruit, and lovely orangy tang. Some lemon and pithy lemon acidity keeps this crisp, though it has some sweetness that is flattering too. 88/100 % acidity, % RS.

Domaine Cep d’Or Auxerrois Stadtbredimus Primerberg GPC 2006
Clean, crisp pear nose, with some lemon and orange raciness. The palate has good, bright fruit, mostly grapefruit and orange with zesty life about it. The higher RS adds a sweet and softer note in the finish, though that pithy grapefruit keeps this crisp. 87/100 7.2% acidity, 9.5% RS.

Domaine Cep d’Or Riesling Stadtbredimus Fels GPC Signature 2002
Rocky (Fels) vineyard. Expressive mineral and wax nose, with some lemon and delicate floral character. Very punchy and vivid, with fat, zesty lemon fruit and a stone-fruit character coming through. Lovely shimmering acidity here, in a very nice wine with good length. 89/100 8.5% acidity, 6.0% RS.

Domaine Cep d’Or Riesling Stadtbredimus Fels GPC Signature 2006
Harvested at 45 hl/ha. This has a slightly less expressive nose at this stage, but similar aromas of lemon and light waxiness with those blossom notes. Very crisp and mineral on the palate, with a stony, salty, precise acid character. Leaner than the 2002 at this stage, but Johnny thinks it is outstanding and too young. 89/100 8.2% acidity, 7.1% RS.

Domaine Cep d’Or Pinot Gris Stadtbredimus Primerberg Signature GPC 2005
Mealy, quite fat fruity aromas, with some ripe, exotic melon fruit. The palate has a fat to its texture and fruit density too, with smoky notes and a plump, juicy fruit quality. Mouthfilling and very luscious and open, with a bracing nip of lemony acidity in the finish. Very easy to drink but some structure and complexity. 88/100 6.8% acidity, 8.0 RS

Domaine Cep d’Or Pinot Gris Stadtbredimus Primerberg Signature GPC 2006
More closed and minerally, with white fruit character. Some delicate blossom notes, with apple coming through strongly. On the palate there’s a burst of fruit and sugar sweetness, but then a bold, juicy plum and apple fruitiness comes through along with powerful acidity that really freshens the wine. This is not at all blowsy, yet has weight and presence. 89/100 7.5% acidity, 9.7% RS

Domaine Cep d’Or Pinot Noir Stadtbredimus Goldberg Signature GPC 2003
Very sweet impression on the nose, of fine cherry and raspberry fruit, with some smokiness and a hint of caramel. A little sous-bois note, but basically fruity and creamy. On the palate this has quite a punchy, high-acid and spicy style, though the softness of the fruit does come through. Slightly short, with a tiny astringent note that detracts slightly. 86/100 but at only 9.50 Euros retail… 4.8% acidity, 2.0 RS

Domaine Cep d’Or Pinot Noir Stadtbredimus Goldberg Signature GPC 2005
Much more solid colour, though a slightly reticent nose. Some cherry fruit and spice. On the palate fairly solid and fruity, with decent balance and a silkiness that I like, though the wine itself lacks a bit of finesse and is perhaps slightly clumsy (for Pinot Noir), finishing with that touch of astringency and some spicy notes. 85/100 5.2% acidity, 2.2 RS

Domaine Cep d’Or Gewürztraminer Stadtbredimus Coteaux Signature GPC 2004
A blend of four vineyards in the village of Stadtbredimus. Quite expressive Gewurz, with smoke and a little hint of bacon fat, then delicate spice and more floral notes come through. The palate is quite crisp, with a racy grapefruit and lemon character, all quite racy and light-bodied, with the sweetness just softening the edges. 86/100 5.5% acidity, 10.4% RS

Domaine Cep d’Or Gewürztraminer Stadtbredimus Coteaux Signature GPC 2006
Very similar nose, with those spice and smoky notes intermingled with flowers and a touch more peachy fruit. Palate is much more vital and vivacious than the 2004, with a pucnhiness and clean, racy acidity that counteracts the residual sweetness. Very attractive Gewurz. 89/100 5.1% acidity, 12.8% RS

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Caves Sunnen-Hoffmann

Sunnen-Hoffmann Pinot Gris Wintrange Hommelsbierg Selection 135th Anniversaire 2006
Yield of 45hl/ha Fine, expressive Pinot Gris nose with smoke, stone fruit aromas and a suggestion of weight and fat. Indeed palate is off-dry, with lovely richness and weight, and a solid mid palate flooded with melon and musky fruit. Fine acidity and lovely balance. 89/100

Sunnen-Hoffmann Pinot Gris Domaine et Tradition 2006
Yield of lass than 25hl/ha Harvested three weeks later. Similar but slightly less powerful nose to the 135th Anniversaire cuvee. Palate is a touch sweeter perhaps, but with still good weight but a drier, pithier character. Perhaps a little more structure. 89/100

Sunnen-Hoffmann Riesling Wintrange Hommelsbierg Selection 135th Anniversaire 2006
Very soft and fruity, with forward, open fruit. Palate is much drier than the nose suggests, with plenty of lemon and lime zest and raciness. Delicious. 88/100

Sunnen-Hoffmann Riesling 2006
Nice note of minerality – stony – and ripe, fresh apple and very pure pear. Big, pithy, clean lemon fruit with bracing acidity and a real sense of structure. Quite dry, but beautifully polished with good fruit and balance. 88/100

Domaine Sunnen-Hoffman Riesling 2003
Little notes of beeswax and a touch of petrol, with very elegant minerality: quite Mosel-like, with delicate apple and apple blossom notes. The palate has a huge, dry core of minerality and citrus, with a certain succulence. Reminiscent of some tropical fruit, but the massive, pithy, decisive acidity powers through. This retains a sense of delicacy and balance though, it just has lovely presence and knife-edge balance. 90/100

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Domaine Mathis Bastian

Domaine Mathis Bastian Auxerrois Domaine et Tradition Fut 22 1999
Lovely hint of exotic smokiness and sesame seed. Plump, quite luscious apple fruit. On the palate limpid and full, with ripeness and masses of sweet fruit. Lovely orangy tang, with hints of Seville orange bitterness and a clean citrus acidity. Delightful Auxerrois this, with great style. 89/100

Domaine Mathis Bastian Auxerrois Domaine et Tradition Fut 22 2003
Simpler, more straightforward aromatically, with a creaminess and real ripeness to the fruit again: apples, and luscious, juicy pear. Acidity has a grip at the moment, with a grapefruit and lemon pith acidity. This is dry and would need food to show its best at this stage, but what a lovely, clean, pristine wine style again. 89/100

Domaine Mathis Bastian Pinot Gris Domaine et Tradition 1988
Huge golden/yellow colour but still a hint of green. Very luscious, with just a hint of green bean and nutty, seed cake character, but a mellow honeyed background too. On the palate this is all minerality and dry, pure white fruits. Lemon pith and grapefruit build, and the freshening acidity contends with a waxiness of texture and grippy skin contact character to leave this big, bold but still fresh. 89/100

Domaine Mathis Bastian Pinot Gris Domaine et Tradition 2005
Really quite delicate aromatically, with a little note of flowers and some Acacia honey, and peach down softness coming through. On the palate a definite sweet edge, and almost a little spritz on this, with a sherbetty freshness and vivacious character. The palate is long and shimmers with freshness and acidity. 89/100

Domaine Mathis Bastian Riesling Domaine et Tradition Fut 12 2005
Very expressive, with beeswax and a touch of schisty minerality over cool, glacial Riesling fruit. Very crisp, light and dry on the palate, with shimmering acidity and citrus fruit running through the core of this wine. Lovely pristine quality and terrifically lively and zesty. 90/100

Domaine Mathis Bastian Riesling Domaine et Tradition Fut 5 2002
This has developed a little more waxiness and the schisty, salty and ozone minerality has emerged a little more, but not at the expense of that shimmering white fruit quality. Plenty of cool, underripe pear and crunchy apple, but an iron fist of acidity adds plenty of structure and decisive freshness. Youthful. 91/100

Domaine Mathis Bastian Riesling Domaine et Tradition Fut 10 1993
Honey and a very delicate spice joins the wax and lightly petrolly aromas, with still pristine white fruits at the core. A little touch of Botrytis like truffle? On the palate there is plenty of zest to this wine, with a developing nutty character softening the picture, and whilst it maybe doesn’t have the dash and length of the 2002, it is balanced and has taken on a lovely savoury quality. 89/100

Domaine Mathis Bastian Riesling Domaine et Tradition Fut 17 1989
Clearly a pattern here, as the schisty minerality and little petrolly overtones are emphasised yet further, but this is controlled and again not at the expense of the pure, clean orchard fruit quality with little floral nuances and a touch of toffee. On the palate the same, shimmering quality of slaty, stony dry minerality, zesty but dry and pithy fruit and vibrant acid structure. Very long, in a lovely Riesling that stays focused and deliciously resolved, whilst absolutely youthful still. 92/100

Domaine Mathis Bastian Pinot Blanc Domaine et Tradition 2005
Quite refined, with some softer orchard fruit notes and a background of oatmeal. On the palate this is nice and bold and mouthfilling, with a rush of ripe, powerful fruit, backed up by a weight of grapefruit and orange pith acidity. Dry and savoury, there’s a searing edge of lemon and mineral in a dry, mouth-watering and delicious wine. 89/100

Domaine Mathis Bastian Riesling Domaine et Tradition Fut 14 Vendange Tardive 2003
Lovely sherbetty lemon freshness married to some exotic notes reminiscent of a touch of greengage and even mango, but there’s an fresh, tight, apple substance to this too. On the palate there is a big background of tangy orange fruit, with the sweet, late-harvest fruitiness very gentle and refined. Lovely balance here, with the long, dry grapefruit pith finish adding great tension to the picture. 90/100

Domaine Mathis Bastian Auxerrois Domaine et Tradition Vendange Tardive GPC 2003
Luscious apricot fruit, with a lovely dried fruit richness and plump, honey-laced quality. The palate has masses of pithy grapefruit and lemon, with the honey and plump, brandy-soaked apricot. The bitterness of the grape adds a tugging, powerful note in the finish that keeps this interesting. 89/100

Domaine Mathis Bastian Gewürztraminer Domaine et Tradition Vendange Tardive GPC 2005
Intense aromatics, with lots of floral and lychee fruit, very fragrant and exotic, with just a hint of ginger. The palate is lovely: quite sweet, with pronounced exotic fruit notes, but the grapefruit flavours and the crisp, mouth-watering acidity kicks in. Lovely balance here and a wine that stays focused and sharp, with a lightness of touch. Lovely stuff. 92/100

Domaine Mathis Bastian Gewürztraminer Domaine et Tradition Vendange Tardive GPC 2003
Weighty, fatter, with plenty of unctuous, exotic fruit. Little herb and floral notes and a very full and attractive picture. More apparent sweetness than the 2005, with a slightly weightier palate, and the acidity, though doing a really nice job of balancing and freshening the finish, is less vibrant perhaps. Delightful though. 91/100

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Domaine A. Gloden & Fils

A Gloden & Fils Crémant de Luxembourg
100% Riesling. Very herbal on the nose, with tarragon and thyme pungency, overpowering fruit. The palate bursts into life with plenty of fruit and citrus and lots of crisp, crunchy acidity. Plenty of sweetness, with little nuances of herbs and of exotic fruit, this is a fairly complex style, with a touch of autolysis, though that herbal note is at first slightly odd. 86/100

A Gloden & Fils Rose de Noirs Mousseaux
A saignée of Pinot Noir, which also concentrates the still Pinot. Lovely pale soft pink colour. Quiet a sweet, creamy nose, with lovely strawberry and quite creamy, earthy fruit. Very nice fruit on the palate too, with just off dry personality. Lovely mouth-filling fruit, with a nip of tannin and good lemony acidity making it very sharp. Lots of grip and fruit, in a very nice style. 88/100

A Gloden & Fils Pinot Gris Wellenstein Foulschette 2006
Yields around 70 hl/ha. Refined, lightly herbal nose, with touches of grassiness and quite fragrant pear and blossom notes. Off-dry, with that herbal note reappearing, giving a little liniment character, but the fruit base is good and the acidity well balanced. This has a balanced, refined style fir Pinot Gris, without any flab or excess. 87/100

A Gloden & Fils Riesling Wellenstein Kurschels 2005
Very nice waxy nectarine skin and lemon zest nose, with a touch of poppy seed and some gentle herbal notes. On the palate this has lovely apple fruit, with a sweetness of ripe pears coming through, and a touch of residual sugar (8.5% RS). Lovely, refined, juicy fruit with lots of elegance and fine balance and length. 88/100

A Gloden & Fils Riesling Sélection 2006
Appealing apple nose, with touches of waxiness and some bruised pear skin notes, but basically very pure with a touch of minerality quite obvious. More residual sugar evident here, with a beautifully limpid, mouth-filling sweetness, and some fine honey and caramel nuances. The clean, zesty lemon avoids the pithiness of some, in a very elegant style of off-dry to semi-sweet Riesling. 24gm RS, 6.8gm acidity. 88/100

A Gloden & Fils Gewürztraminer Schengen Markusberg GPC 2006
Lovely, expressive Gewurz with plenty of herbal, grassy and rose-like aromas, with a certain waxy quality. The palate too is very nicely itched, with medium body and a raciness that keeps it crisp and mouth-watering. 8gm RS, 5.5gm total acidity. 87/100

A Gloden & Fils Pinot Noir Tradition Domain 2003
Plenty of depth to the colour, though slightly brown. Big coffee and chocolate nose, with deep, nutty and berry aromas. Fairly dark and perhaps a touch stewed? The palate has some nice Pinot fruit, with good sweetness and quite a silky texture. This finishes quite well, with a bit of spice and fruit depth with soft tannins. 87/100

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Domaine Schumacher-Knepper

Schumacher-Knepper Crémant de Luxembourg NV
Actually a 2002 vintage, but very small production so do not declare it, allowing blending possibilities. Robust, upfront apple aromas. Some sweetness evident on the palate, with a real sherbetty brightness coming through. Direct and joyful stuff, with nice balance. 87/100

Schumacher-Knepper Wintinger Felsberg Grand Premier Cru 2006
Lovely peachy fruit with a hint of smokiness and delicate floral nuances. Palate has a lovely grapefruit and orange mouth-watering fruitiness, with tang and vibrancy. Very nice acidity hear, with a core of zesty lemon. Yield of about 70hl/ha. 88/100

Schumacher-Knepper Wintrange Felsberg Pinot Gris Grand Premier Cru 2006
Very delicate apple and peach fruit. The palate has a similar juicy dryness, with a pithy citrus character masking an innate sweetness of fruit. Nicely balanced and really quite long. Tangy. 88/100

Schumacher-Knepper Lyra Pinot Noir 2006
Light, racy, red liquorice and rose hip nose with a very dry palate. Bone dry acidity, with clean but lean flavours. Light and would be served almost as a rosé – think. 85/100

Schumacher-Knepper Vendange Tardive Riesling Grand Premier Cru 2005
Rather reticent nose, with a little honey and tangerine nuance. Bursts into life on the palate, with plenty of sweetness and peach and nectarine, and whilst it has very nice acidity, that keeps it summery and fresh, there is not huge complexity. Very nice drinking though. 88/100

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