Domaine Trapet : Gewurztraminer Sporen Grand cru 2016

Tasting Notes and Serving Suggestions for Gewurztraminer Sporen Grand Cru 2016 from Domaine Trapet

Tasting

Appearance

The wine displays a bright golden-yellow hue with golden highlights, sometimes tinged with pinkish nuances characteristic of the grape variety.

Nose

The nose reveals remarkable aromatic complexity. Intense floral notes of rose and white flowers intertwine with aromas of exotic fruits, notably lychee, passion fruit, white peach and apricot. Spicy touches of ginger, clove and cinnamon round out the bouquet, along with subtle hints of licorice, honey and dry incense that reflect the mineral influence of the terroir.

Palate

The attack is firm and fragrant, immediately revealing the wine’s concentration. The palate offers a remarkable balance between intense fruity richness and a refreshing acidity that brings vibrancy. The velvety, fleshy texture is supported by a notable minerality that shapes the flavor profile and provides an invigorating tension. The expression remains relatively dry, allowing the mineral terroir of Sporen to fully emerge. The finish lingers at length with persistence, with aromas of lychee, flowers and spices remaining distinct several seconds after swallowing.

Food and Wine Pairing

This Gewurztraminer Sporen Grand Cru 2016 pairs beautifully with a wide variety of dishes. It is an ideal match for white meats such as roast duck, spiced chicken or pork prepared with exotic fruits. Seafood, notably oysters and shellfish, also finds an excellent partner in this wine. Spiced world cuisines—particularly Thai, Indian, Moroccan or Middle Eastern dishes using ginger, saffron, cinnamon and gentle spices—create natural harmonies with it. Soft cheeses such as Munster, washed-rind cheeses or blue cheeses also make excellent pairings. Traditional Alsatian specialties such as tarte flambée or choucroute garnie pair perfectly with this wine.

Serving and Cellaring

Gewurztraminer Sporen Grand Cru 2016 can be enjoyed now and will continue to evolve favorably over the coming years thanks to its balanced structure and distinctive minerality.

An Elegant, Mineral Alsace Gewurztraminer Grand Cru from Domaine Trapet

The Estate

Domaine Trapet embodies a remarkable family story that began in Bourgogne at the end of the 19th century. Expansion into Alsace took shape in the early 2000s when Andrée Grayer-Trapet, a native of Riquewihr and wife of Jean-Louis Trapet, inherited family vines. The Alsatian estate now spans around 14 hectares, including 4.5 hectares across five prestigious Grands Crus: Sonnenglanz, Schoenenbourg, Schlossberg, Sporen and Mambourg. Fully Demeter-certified biodynamic since 2003, the estate is now run by Jean-Louis and Andrée Trapet, with the active involvement of their sons Pierre and Louis, who represent the new generation. The estate’s philosophy is rooted in deep respect for the terroir, biodynamic farming and a low-intervention winemaking approach designed to reveal the purest expression of each plot.

The Vineyard

Grand Cru Sporen covers around 23.7 hectares in Riquewihr, on hillside slopes between 265 and 310 meters above sea level. The parcels benefit from an east-facing exposure, ideally positioned south of Riquewihr. The terroir is based on clay-marl soils from the Lower Jurassic, decalcified at the surface, rich in phosphoric acid and containing a proportion of sandy sandstone. This soil composition promotes slow, even ripening of the grapes, concentrating sugars and developing complex aromas. The depth of the clay-marl soils retains moisture, ensuring a balanced water supply even during dry periods. The continental climate, with hot, dry summers, benefits from the protection of the Vosges massif, which creates a particularly favorable microclimate. Domaine Trapet’s vines are farmed with Demeter-certified biodynamics, with a gradual transition to stake training since 2021.

The Vintage

The year 2016 in Alsace offered favorable conditions for producing high-quality wines, allowing optimal ripening of Gewurztraminer grapes on the Sporen terroir.

Winemaking and Aging

Gewurztraminer Sporen Grand Cru 2016 is made from hand-harvested grapes in accordance with the strict requirements of the Grand Cru appellation. The grapes are pressed, then fermented using an approach that favors indigenous yeasts naturally present. The estate is gradually moving toward using large oak foudres rather than small barrels and continues its efforts to reduce sulfur levels, seeking to uncover the purest expression of the terroir. Aging respects the minimum legal requirements for Alsace Grands Crus, with an extended period that allows the wine to develop complexity while preserving the grape variety’s natural aromatic intensity and the distinctive minerality of the Sporen terroir.

Grape variety

100% Gewurztraminer