Winemaker Notes
2019 was on the cooler side in the Illinois Valley, however late September rains brought upon botrytis that added to the development of sugar and flavor. The nose surfs the edge of tropical hedonism and is quickly pulled back into the citrus realm of flamed orange peel and ripe lemon. The cool summer left the acid intact, which is noticeable on the surprisingly zippy mid-palate. The combination of serpentine/galet soils lends this Gewurz a depth of minerality only found in this site alone. This is a serious wine that is charming at the same time…the winemakers found it difficult to not drink it in one sitting.
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
Ted Gerber farms this 10-acre gewurztraminer vineyard at his home in Cave Junction; the vines were planted in the seventies. The wine leads with exotic fruit notes of pineapple, Cara Cara orange, litchi, Sichuan peppercorn and golden apple. In its texture, the old-vine feel is strong; it’s rosy and suave, and despite the wine’s full flavors, it finishes dry and racy—with a lemony vibrancy unusual for gewurztraminer.
Gewürztraminer, an expressive and aromatically distinctive white grape variety, is considered a noble variety in the Alsace region of France, and produces wonderful wines in the mountainous Alto Adige region of NE Italy. Generally this grape grows well in cooler regions and its natural intensity makes it a great ally for flavorful cuisine such as Indian, Middle Eastern or Moroccan. Somm Secret—Because of a charming perfume and tendency towards slight sweetness, Gewürztraminer makes for an excellent gateway wine for those who love sweet wines but want to venture into the realm of drier whites.
As the the largest region in the greater Southern Oregon AVA, bordering California, the Rogue Valley AVA grows the most diverse array of grape varieties compared to any other Oregon appellation.
The Rogue Valley AVA is actually made up of three adjacent river valleys—not just one as its name suggests—Bear Creek, Applegate and Illinois. These valleys extend from the foothills of the Siskiyou Mountains, a coastal sub range of the Klamath Mountains. Most Rogue Valley vineyards are planted on hillsides at elevations of 1,200 to 2,000 feet where soils are metamorphic, sedimentary and volcanic.
On one end Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Tempranillo, Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc benefit from a warm and dry climate. To the west end of the Rogue Valley, cool-climate grapes like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, Muscat and Gewürztraminer do best. Dolcetto, Grenache and Zinfandel also grow in the Rogue Valley AVA.
Early European settlers first started growing grapes here in the 1840s, the most famous of whom was a pioneer named, Peter Britt. He also opened Oregon’s first official winery (which later closed in 1907). Today, besides its great wines, the region is known for the Britt Music & Arts festival, which inhabits Peter Britt’s former hillside estate, and the Ashland, Oregon Shakespeare Festival.