2007 Anderson Valley Gewurztraminer — $20

Aroma of fresh casaba melon, lychee and ripe carambola. Taste of pepino melon with ripe pear & zesty guava, ripe green apple, crisp pear with a zingy lime.

Vineyard Location: Anderson Valley, Mendocino
Varietal Composition: 100% Gewürztraminer
Harvest Date: September 2007
Release Date: August 2, 2008
Brix at Harvest: 23.2 degrees
Alcohol: 14.34%
pH: 3.00
TA: .74
Residual Sugar: .34
Cooperage: Stainless Steel
Approx. quantity made: 200 cases

Accolades

SILVER MEDAL — 2009 SF Chronicle Wine Competition
87 Points — Wine Enthusiast, March 2009
“Mendocino’s Anderson Valley is one of the best sources of Gewürztraminer in California, and this polished bottling shows why. The wine is brisk and clean, with potent flavors of tropical citrus fruits, flowers and a wild array of Asian spices, all wrapped into a creamy texture. It’s a little sweet on the finish.” –Steve Heimoff, Editor
SILVER MEDAL — 2008 North of the Gate Wine Competition

Winemaker's Comments

This crisp, off-dry Gewurztraminer should be made into a perfume. The aromas of fresh casaba melon, lychee and starfruit ensnare the senses. The palate of pepino melon, ripe pear and zesty guava pairs excellently with spicy dishes, ranging from Thai food to Indian cuisine. The finish of bright green apple and crisp pear with a zingy lime leaves your mouth fresh and relaxed, awaiting the next bite. I love this with spicy, authentic Mexican chicken enchiladas. The light residual sugar does not make this wine very sweet, but allows pairing with spicier dishes.

Gewürztraminer

Gewürztraminer (pronounced: guh-VERTS-truh-MEE-ner) is an aromatic wine grape variety that performs best in cooler climates. It is sometimes referred to colloquially as Gewürz, and in French it is written Gewurztraminer. Gewürztraminer is a variety with a pink to red skin colour, which makes it a white wine grape in difference to the blue- to black-skinned varieties commonly referred to as "red wine grapes". The variety has high natural sugar and the wines are white and usually off-dry, with a flamboyant bouquet of lychees. Dry Gewürztraminers may also have aromas of roses, passion fruit and floral notes. It is not uncommon to notice some spritz (fine bubbles on the inside of the glass) in Gewürztraminers from Europe.

Its aromatic flavours make Gewürztraminer one of the few wines that is suitable for drinking with Asian cuisine. It goes well with Munster cheese, and fleshy, fatty (oily) wild game. Smoked salmon is a particularly good match.

Preferred Pricing

1 - 2 cases: 10% off, 3 - 5 cases: 15% off, 6 + cases: 20% off (does not apply to Library & Reserve wines).
Mixed cases allowed. Wine club members are given an additional 5% off on all purchases.