Hyland Estates Old Vine Gewurztraminer 2011
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Robert
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Amazing at taming spicy cuisine or enjoyed by itself, this wine pairs perfectly with scallops, smoked salmon, BBQ hot wines, soft and creamy cheeses, or many Asian inspired dishes.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
From vines planted in 1971 and depicted on the Hyland Estate label, their 2011 Gewurztraminer evokes classic rose petal, lychee, and celery seed. Polished and caressing in texture, it evinces a levity and sheer refreshment you won’t often obtain from this grape (and almost never in my experience outside of the Pacific Northwest or New York’s Finger Lakes). Mouthwatering salinity adds appeal to a finish surprisingly understated compared with this wine’s attention-getting nose, but scarcely less appealing for that. I have no experience with how this particular wine can age, but analogies with similar Gewurztraminers suggests that it will remain delightful for at least 3-4 years, and it certainly offers outstanding value. As with the Pinot Gris from his Solena estate, Montalieu believes in picking Gewurztraminer at a point where the seeds turn dark brown and bitterness is largely eliminated, which was possible in this instance in the final days of October, yet still a only 13.% potential alcohol. (Despite what the Umlaut on its label may lead many consumers to imagine, this is a dry wine, closely akin to an old-fashioned Alsace exemplar of its cepage.)
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Hyland Vineyard began planting in 1971 by four pioneering friends with own-rooted Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling & Gewurztraminer that now totals 185 acres. Located in the McMinnville AVA of Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Hyland Vineyard is the largest contiguous and second oldest single vineyard site in Oregon. The Hyland Vineyard is LIVE Certified Sustainable. The LIVE Certified Sustainable Wine logo on a bottle is your assurance of sustainably produced, authentic Northwest wine.
In 2007, the property changed hands to new caretakers led by Laurent Montalieu who felt that this vineyard had to be left wild and untamed. He wanted the land to speak in its own voice, adopting a "land not hand" philosophy. The block, the elevation, the growing season and the individual expression of every vine is present in the glass. Quiet and self-sufficient, the vines produce a textually mature, high-concentrated juice that come with decades of establishing oneself firmly into the land. This is Hyland Estates.
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 some of America’s most celebrated Pinot Noir, Oregon maintains a tight focus on small production, high quality wine even while the state’s industry enjoys steady growth. As a world-renowned wine region, Oregon has more than 700 wineries and is home to well over 70 grape varieties. With a mostly Mediterranean climate, its cooler and wetter regions lie in the west, close to the Pacific Coast.
By far the most reputed Oregon wine region is the Willamette Valley, which is further subdivided into six smaller appellations: Chehalem Mountains, Dundee Hills, Eola-Amity Hills, McMinnville, Ribbon Ridge and Yamhill-Carlton.
The Oregon wine region's most obvious success story is with Pinot Noir, which here takes on a personality that could be described in general terms as somewhere in between the wines of California and Burgundy—and is often more affordable than either one. The best Willamette Pinot noir has a rare combination of red and black fruit, elegant balance, high acidity and rustic earth. While completely enjoyable in their youth, some of the better, single vineyard or appellation-specific Pinot noirs can often benefit from some cellar time.
Other AVAs in Oregon’s west worth noting include Umpqua Valley and Rogue Valley.
In the east are Snake River Valley, which overlaps into Idaho, and Columbia Valley, which Oregon shares with Washington. Summers are hot and dry in these regions but winters are cold and rainy.
Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot blanc also grow successfully in Oregon.