Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesJuicy mandarin on the nose has a touch of maplesyrup spice. The palate has gentle sweetness but much of that mandarin freshness, too. There is a lovely interplay of freshness and richness on a body that remains svelte despite its roundness. The finish is off dry, zesty and long.
Lightly juicy, with mouthwatering acidity, this features a streak of spicy mineral underscoring the flavors of lychee, candied lime zest, white peach and verbena. Fresh and expressive, with a lasting tang of salinity on the finish.
This 2016 Gewurztraminer "Roche Calcaire" (L 17H) is clear, fresh and spicy on the nose, with lots of lychee, pepper and rose petal aromas. The palate is pure, lush, piquant and well-structured, with perfect roundness that doesn't taste too sweet but like ripe pears. The 2016 is very elegant and balanced and finishes with grip and stimulating salinity. It is a powerful but straight and stimulating Gewurzt with grip, salt and lots of spices. Excellent.
Certified Organic and Biodynamic.
With its fairytale aesthetic, Germanic influence and strong emphasis on white wines, Alsace is one of France’s most unique viticultural regions. This hotly contested stretch of land running north to south on France’s northeastern border has spent much of its existence as German territory. Nestled in the rain shadow of the Vosges mountains, it is one of the driest regions of France but enjoys a long and cool growing season. Autumn humidity facilitates the development of “noble rot” for the production of late-picked sweet wines, Vendange Tardive and Sélection de Grains Nobles.
The best wines of Alsace can be described as aromatic and honeyed, even when completely dry. The region’s “noble” varieties, the only ones permitted within Alsace’s 51 Grands Crus vineyards, are Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Muscat, and Pinot Gris.
Riesling is Alsace’s main specialty. In its youth, Alsace Riesling is dry, fresh and floral, but develops complex mineral and flint character with age. Gewurztraminer is known for its signature spice and lychee aromatics, and is often utilized for late harvest wines. Pinot Gris is prized for its combination of crisp acidity and savory spice as well as ripe stone fruit flavors. Muscat, vinified dry, tastes of ripe green grapes and fresh rose petal.
Other varieties grown here include Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Chasselas, Sylvaner and Pinot Noir—the only red grape permitted in Alsace and mainly used for sparkling rosé known as Crémant d’Alsace. Most Alsace wines are single-varietal bottlings and unlike other French regions, are also labeled with the variety name.
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.