Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Connoisseurs' Guide
Sporting very clear themes of allspice and clove in the nose with suggestions of ripe apples and a hint of spiced orange as well, this relatively mouthfilling Gewurz stays in step on the palate with ample, nicely filled flavors. While it flirts with a bit of unnecessary heat at the finish, it never wavers from its varietal course, and, while we would not choose it as a picnicky cooler, it has the richness to stand up to flavorful fare such as a classic Alsatian Choucroute Garnie.
-
Wine Enthusiast
A wonderful Gewürztraminer, from a winery that’s worked with it for a long time and has a good track record. It’s crisp in acidity and exotically complex, with citrus and tropical fruit, ripe peach and honeysuckle flavors. That famous Gewürztramimer spiciness is perfect.
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.
Home to a diverse array of smaller AVAs with varied microclimates and soil types, Sonoma County has something for every wine lover. Physically twice as large as Napa Valley, the region only produces about half the amount of wine but boasts both tremendous quality and variety. With its laid-back atmosphere and down-to-earth attitude, the wineries of Sonoma are appreciated by wine tourists for their friendliness and approachability. The entire county intends to become a 100% sustainable winegrowing region by 2019.
Sonoma County wines are produced with carefully selected grape varieties to reflect the best attributes of their sites—Dry Creek Valley’s consistent sunshine is ideal for Zinfandel, while the warm Alexander Valley is responsible for rich, voluptuous red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are important throughout the county, most notably in the cooler AVAs of Russian River, Sonoma Coast and Carneros. Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Syrah have also found a firm footing here.