2009 Trimbach Pinot Gris Vendanges Tardives, Alsace

The 2008 Pinot Gris Vendange Tardive is, at 60 grams residual sugar, unabashedly and for a Trimbach V.T. surprisingly sweet. But then, it had already reached 13.7% alcohol. A remarkable nose – vegetarians beware! – suggests smoked pork, sauteed veal sweetbreads, and truffle-studded foie gras, and the palate is just as sinfully rich as the nose implies, encompassing as well a honeyed intensity of quince and mirabelle preserves; white Burgundy-like toasted brioche; and hints of brown spices. This is a meal unto itself, and for all of its amplitude reveals a sense of buoyancy. But it will take many years for the sense of sweetness to significantly back-off. One could certainly plan on following this for a quarter century.