Banyan Monterey County Gewurztraminer 2017
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2017 marks another new beginning for the Banyan Gewürztraminer. After years of service, Ventana was finally ripped out and we once again moved to a new vineyrard. The 2017 is 100% from Rancho Llegado, a vineyard that comprised part of our 2015 wine when yields were very low and Ventana did not produce enough. Like Ventana and typical for the area, wind, fog, and cool temperatures predominate year round. Being farmed by the same person, the Rancho is also carefully farmed to assure the specific ripeness, a balance of sugar, and the acidity, that we are looking for. A long growing season and temperatures that rarely rise above 80°F create an ideal spot for such an intensely aromatic wine.
Serve chilled between 2-5°C. Acid will be firmer at cooler temperatures, but the aromatics will be more pronounced when warmer. A great match for anything spicy especially Thai, Vietnamese, and Indian foods.
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Wine Enthusiast
This is a fascinating wine at all turns. The color is not darker than water, and the aromas are extremely juicy with orange blossom, poached pear, bubblegum and gardenia—one of the most aromatic bottlings around. The palate is bone dry with a chalky flavor and backbone, yet hints of bubblegum and plumeria give warmth.
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Since beginning in 2002, The Hobo Wine Company has been owned and independently operated by the Likitprakongs'. In 2013, they converted an old warehouse in the historic Roseland neighborhood of Santa Rosa to be their production facility. This move allows them complete independence and full control over our winemaking and production.
Stylistically, Hobo Wine Company makes artisanally crafted wines of integrity and charm that respect their role at the table. This means they are true to character and origin, generally moderate in alcohol, and noticeable in acidity. The wines are made without commercial yeast or malolactic bacteria or other commercial additives and sulfur levels are always kept to a minimum.
There is a small tasting room at the winery, which is run on 100% local renewable energy, and they welcome visitors from around the world.
Banyan Wines is a father and son project from Somchai and Kenny Likitprakong born out of a mutual passion for wine, their Thai heritage, and an idea to combine the two. They produce appellation-specific California white wines that pair with Asian cuisines. The Banyan philosophy is to use only sustainably and/or organically farmed grapes from vineyards in regions with microclimates ideally suited for the particular variety.
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.
A geographic and climatic paradise for grape vines, Monterey is a part of the greater Central Coast AVA and contains within it five smaller sub-appellations, including Arroyo Seco, San Lucas, San Bernabe, Hames Valley and the famous Santa Lucia Highlands. The climate is relatively warm but tempered by cool, coastal winds, allowing the regions in Monterey County an exceptionally long growing season. Bud break often happens two weeks sooner and harvest tends to be two weeks later compared to other surrounding regions.
Monterey’s coastal side, where the cooling ocean fog allows grapes to develop a perfect sugar-acid balance, excels in the production of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling. Warmer, inland subzones are home to fleshy, concentrated and full-bodied reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel.
Chardonnay, covering about 40% of vineyard acreage, is the most widely planted grape in all of Monterey County.