On these pages I'm beginning to build a listing of tasting notes gathered from the internet, other sources, and my own personal experiences. I hope as time goes on that I will be able to taste many of these vintages/labels, especially those already enjoyed by Ms. Sue Courtney (identified with a  22Aug2004 style date code in the notes) and compare taste buds. I also list other winery vintages I have yet to taste myself or have found other tasting notes for. Those identified with an * are in my cellar either awaiting uncorking, or have been and my taste impressions await  inclusion in description..

Important: If you know of a Gewürztraminer wine not listed, and /or have tasting notes for the wine, or have tasting notes for a wine already listed (whether it has notes already doesn't matter), please contact me with your information. Whether you're a winery, winemaker, or just love to drink wine, please feel free to add to these listings. 

    Submitting Gewürztraminer Wines for Review: Wines should be submitted to 

GWTRAMINER SAMPLER, W259 N9116 Hwy 164, Hartland, WI. 53029-9010, U.S.A.

    There is no charge or reimbursement for wines submitted, and though all submitted wines will be tasted, I can't guarantee that this will occur, or that a review will appear on this website. For each wine submitted, please send (2) bottles, unless limited by production, then (1) bottle will be satisfactory.

Mike Reilly

Amity Vineyards 2001 Oregon Dry Gewurztraminer a rich, dry wine with classic spicy, floral flavors and aromas. It is a wonderful companion to spicy dishes as well as salmon, smoked foods and turkey. $8.50

Anne Amie Vineyards Chateau Benoit 2001 Gewürztraminer, Willamette Valley; Note: This vintage/label is very questionable -  according to Anne Amie Vineyards' Steve Lutz, "No, we do not produce a Gewurztraminer. The last one that Chateau Benoit produced was in 1999."

Babcock Winery Gewurztraminer 2001, Cuvee Sublime is SOLD OUT at the winery.
93 Points/Editor's Choice - Wine Enthusiast Magazine

Babich Winemakers Reserve Gewürztraminer 2001 (Hawkes Bay) Excellent varietal gewurz aromas with a talcy perfume. Orange juice and spice in the palate. Warm and full and slightly sweet with Turkish Delight, rose water, musk, and ginger. Mouthfillingly rich flavor with hints of pepper spice lingering on the extremely long and flavorsome finish. A step up in the quality of Babich Gewurz in my opinion. $27. Sue Courtney 27Mar2002.

    Winery Notes:  The fruit was hand picked and crushed on the 21st of March at 24.4 Brix. After a period of skin contact for flavour extraction, the fruit was pressed and the juice fermented in stainless steel at cool temperatures to retain the spicy bouquet typical of the variety. The wine was then allowed to develop for several months before bottling. Tasting Notes: Intense varietal characters are evident in this rich mouth-filling fruit-focused wine. Perfumed aromas reminiscent of rose petals and lychees, with a hint of orange zest, carry through to the palate, which boasts a rich lingering fruit profile with a soft spicy cinnamon finish. Recommended Cellaring: 0-5 years Recommended Food:  The rich, varietal character of this wine is an ideal match with spicy Malaysian chicken curry, or similarly spicy chicken or pork dishes. "A soft, intense wine with a heady perfume and rich array of lychee, peach, ginger and spice flavours. Weighty and concentrated, it's a very classy wine from one of the few producers in the country to treat gewürztraminer seriously." - Michael Cooper, `SUNDAY STAR TIMES` 17th March, 2002 "Excellent varietal gewurz aromas with a talcy perfume. Orange juice and spice in the palate. Warm and full and slightly sweet with Turkish Delight, rose water, musk, and ginger. Mouthfillingly rich flavour with hints of pepper spice lingering on the extremely long and flavoursome finish. A step up in the quality of Babich Gewurz in my opinion."

Black Ridge Gewürztraminer 2001 Spicy and zesty with very delicate but well stated flavors. Musky and deliciously varietal with flavors of lychees and spices. Vineyard was planted with Matawhero cuttings. Sue Courtney 20Aug2002.

Brookfields Gewürztraminer 2001 Pungent with strong beeswax and peach scents. Sweet ripe fruit , musk, spice with a lovely richness and balance. There is no botrytis in this wine. I think the beeswax-like richness possibly due to low cropping. Good lusciousness. Good cellaring potential. Sue Courtney 5Nov2001.

Canoe Ridge Vineyard 2001 Gewurztraminer

Covey Run Gewürztraminer 2001, Washington State,

Crossroads Classic Gewürztraminer 2000 Rose petal aromas. Plenty of peppery spice, sweet lemon, lychees and musk with a nice touch of freshly squeezed orange on finish and then a touch of caramel? (brown sugar). Sue Courtney 26Sep2001.

Delatite Dead Man's Hill Gewurztraminer 2001 Spicy, dry white with hints of mango and other tropical fruits - great with Asian-inspired foods. Light and not too heavy. Victoria, Australia; £7.99

Dry River Estate Gewürztraminer 2001 well-colored and reeking of orange blossom honey with subtle spice and the fragrance of blossoms. In the mouth the texture is quite viscous and the honeyed richness is almost overpowering at first but as the mouth attunes, the juicy citrus, orange zest, spice, white pepper and fragrant blossom flavors come through. With understated power the flavor goes on and on and on, with incredible citrus and spice lingering. $40. Sue Courtney 25May2002.

*Duck Pond 2001 Gewurztraminer, Duck Pond Cellars, Columbia Valley, Oregon, Desert Wind Vineyard, Wahlike Slope, 16.4% alc., BREMIL $9.99 111804; Bright and juicy, slightly sweet but tangy with grapefruit, the 2002 Gewurztraminer is a lovely example of this variety. 

Foris Vineyards Winery 2001 Gewürztraminer, Rogue Valley, $12, Classic Gewurztraminer nose of rose petals, lychee nuts, and minerals. Finishes crisp and long. A well-rounded, elegant and versatile example of the potential of Illinois Valley grown Alsatian fruit. 13.8% alc. ; Production: 1582 cases

Forrest Estate Marlborough Gewürztraminer 2001 (in stelvin) A pretty blosson spice aroma, then in the palate a rich, full, intense, spicy, peppery gewurz flavor with rose petal, Turkish delight, musk and lemon. Oily and luscious, with juicy orange on the lingering finish, where a little sugar emerges and sits sweetly on the palate. $21 18.5/20. Tasted blind on 28Aug2001.
Lemon & sherbet. Sweet zesty, orange blossom, pink smokers and spice. Improving daily. Sue Courtney 26Sep2001.

Fox Run Vineyards 2001 Gewurztraminer; Retail at Winery: $19.99; Winemaker's Notes: A highly distinctive aroma suggestive of lychees, sweet spices and rose petals instantly identifies this as a Gewurztraminer. Although this wine is almost bone-dry, its soft acid and exceptional richness give the impression of sweetness.

* Geyser Peak Gewurztraminer California 2001, 13.5% alc., ERIMAU $6.99 120404

Kemblefield Gewürztraminer 2001 Honeyed aromas with a hint of beeswax. The texture of this wine struck me with its oiliness that makes the wine flow nicely thru the palate. Richly flavored with lemon drops, honey, smokers and Turkish Delight with a sweetness like a smattering of icing sugar on strawberry pleasing the palate, leaving a bright sweet citrus (lemon/grapefruit) finish with musky overtones that linger for ages. Served chilled, this wine certainly hit the spot. Sugared grapefruit (like at the Chateau) And the juiciness of watermelon.

* Kenwood Sonoma County Gewürztraminer 2001, 13% alc., ERIMAU $9.99 120404

Lawson Dry Hills Marlborough Gewürztraminer 2001 (in stelvin) Just the most gorgeous aroma with delicate rose petal, orange blossom and soap-like floral scents. Very ripe and luscious in palate yet not overpowering. Excellent balance. A little yeasty nuttiness along with spice, honey, orange, roses and some lychees. A spicy, oily note on the finish. 10/8/2001

Lenz Winery Gewürztraminer 2001 Gewürztraminer is a notoriously fickle producer and yields in our vineyards are generally very low, at around 2 tons per acre or even less. The 2000 is essentially dry. It has its full share of classic "estery" gewürztraminer aromas of tea and rose petals, plus hints of nutmeg, cloves and other warm spices. In 2000 we continued our technique of barrel fermenting about 5% of the total blend very slowly at a low temperature in old, "neutral" barrels. It's an Alsatian technique that we picked up from Zind Humbrecht, whom we would like to acknowledge. The remainder of the gewürz is fermented in two lots, one of which is treated in a way that emphasizes this grape's spicy character and the other in a way that emphasizes its fruity/aromatic character. When the slow-fermented/barrel-fermented component is blended in with the rest, the result is a flavor-rich wine with a significant increase in complexity. It is a wine that tastes like a "gold label" gewürztraminer.

Margrain Gewürztraminer 2001 (synthetic) Soapy aroma with a hint of herb. Citrus that tends to marmalade in character dominates the palate. There's honey, spice, flowers and rosy characters. It's ripe and balanced with a good finish that has spice, cloves and musk lingering. 14.5% 33gms rs. Sue Courtney 16Oct2002.

    Winery Notes: our 2000 Gewürztraminer was loaded with sweet floral fruit but I would not go so far as to say spice. The 2001 wine has been an education for us. The very warm dry season and the increased level of berry exposure has lifted the ripeness to another level and resulted in a powerful wine with an ethereal aroma we have not seen before. Guavas and Lycees leap form the glass but it is the musky scent of crushed rose petals that I perceive as truly "Gewürz". The palate is lush and seductive with characteristically low acidity. The backbone of the wine is derived from an array of firm but fine phenolics, which supports and carries the moderate level of residual sweetness. As Grandad used to say - "sweet and creamy and uncommonly good."

*Marom Hungarian Nagyrede Gewurztraminer 2001, 11% alc., EWIPE $21.44 111704, made in the Late-harvest style, of which Hungary is famous for. The slight fruitiness of this wine and the spiciness of the Traminer make for an exciting, aromatic and complex tasting wine of the highest quality. Serve with spicy foods or those with a fair amount of seasoning. Because of the full body and the richness of this wine; our Marom Gewurztraminer is great by itself or in place of a dessert. Serve chilled. Produced in Romania $23.95

Marquam Hill Gewurztraminer 2001, Marquam Hill Vineyards Winery, Willamette Valley, Molalla, OR  Done in a spicy slightly sweet style by the winemaker brings out the best of the varietal character of this wine. Depending on the weather Mother Nature offers, we will produce either a dry or semi-sweet Gewürztraminer. $9.00

Martinelli Vineyard Dry Select Gewurztraminer 2001, Our dry style Gewurztraminer is allowed to hang on the vine about 10 days longer than the off-dry Gewurz. It is produced in small lots and fermented with indigenous yeast. The wine is 100% barrel fermented in small, neutral French oak until completely dry, increasing a richness in palate and depth of body. Floral and perfume aromas of rose petal, kiwi and vanilla are pre-dominant in the nose. Intense flavors of apricot, nectarine, ripe peach, grapefruit and clove spice are layered with deep mineral and flinty components. The wine finishes smooth with a creamy and glycerin-like viscosity on the pallet. Production: 355 cases. Also 1995, 1996, and 1998 vintages

*Meßmer Selection Gewürztraminer Spatlese 2001, 10.5% alc., a Terry Theise Estate Bottled Selection, Germany; imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, New York, VRIBLU $27.99 111904

Meridian Gewürztraminer, Santa Barbara County, 2001 - $8.00; Very intense classical aromas of lychee, grapefruit, jasmine and spicy nutmeg are followed by textured, round deep flavors that linger pleasantly in the mouth. Gewürztraminer grown in their White Hills Vineyard in Santa Barbara County. Winemaking Notes: By Signe Zoller, Winemaker: We make this wine in a classic California style – lots of fruit and a hint of sweetness.  To achieve this style, we picked the fruit at 24.8 degrees Brix.  We crushed, pressed, and then fermented in stainless steel.  For Gewürztraminer, we use a very cool fermentation because it enhances and preserves the varietal character by preventing many of the volatile aromas from dissipating.  This way, the finished wine has the very distinctive aromas and flavors of the fresh fruit on the vine – lychee and cinnamon.  The wine was bottled quite young in order to capture the straightforward fruit that typifies this Santa Barbara Gewürztraminer.

Mills Reef Hawkes Bay Gewürztraminer 2001 Lovely sweet candy, floral, spice and Turkish Delight. Rather full on in the palate, enrichening as it lingers. 18/20 Sue Courtney 28Aug2001.

Millton Gisborne Gewürztraminer 2001. A sweeter style. Spicy and spritzig with soft sherbet and balanced sweetness. This will be a delicious summer drinking wine, served chilled on a hot day. 16.5/20 Sue Courtney 16Sep2001.

Domaine Ostertag Gewurztraminer Epfig 2001, $24.99

Peregrine Gewürztraminer 2001 - The 2001 vintage allowed for great development of varietal flavours with the super ripe fruit from vineyards in Gibbston and Lowburn showing spicy ginger characteristics. Once in the winery the juice was allowed 6 hours skin contact to accentuate flavour. The wine has spice and floral notes combined with complex fruit flavours, a mouth filling texture and lingering finish. Drink now up to 6 years.

Phoenix Gisborne Gewürztraminer 2001 Turkish Delight and rose petal aromas. So subtle at first in the palate with delicate spice, then Turkish Delight starts to emerge and the wine just explodes in flavor from then on to a strong, spicy finish. A medium style with good balance and alcohol weight. It's got everything - a superb example of NZ Gewürztraminer.  18.5/20 Sue Courtney 28Aug2001.

Pipers Brook Estate Gewurztraminer 2001

Reserve Eden Valley Gewürztraminer 2001, Grant Burge Wines Pty Ltd., Jacobs Creek, Barossa Valley, South Australia; “Look for…Grant Burge. The flavors tend to the obvious with lychees, rose petals, chalk, musk, spice and citrus. Many find them an excellent match for Asian dishes, though that is a broach brush. Done well, gewurz has much to offer.” “With a bouquet of redolent of Turkish delight and a viscous, lightly sweet palate, this wine makes a wonderful partner to spicy Asian seafood dishes. Try with chilled prawns.” “…is aimed at an Alsace style and doesn’t fall far short of the mark. It is a light straw color with green hues and has a very spicy nose with upfront fruit and some lychee characters. Not as pungent as the Alsace wines. The palate is soft and round despite the wine’s youth and there is further spice and some fresh acidity. A lovely first-up example of this style.” “This rich and spicy white is one of the Burge team’s ongoing experimental series. It shows floral and spice characters on the nose and palate with a rich complex palate and a crisp finish. Try it now with Chinese dishes or cell for a few years. Rating: 90.”

Rippon Gewürztraminer 2001 A dry nutty style with plenty of spice and flavor. A mouthfilling gewurz that is just fabulous with Thai flavors, especially those at the Thai Rain Forest Restaurant in Albany . $20.

Russian River Valley Gewurztraminer 2001, This off-dry wine exhibits predominantly ripe apricot, orange peel, and pineapple aromas leading toward orange crème, pineapple and grapefruit flavors. Cases Produced: 685

Siefried Nelson Gewürztraminer 2001 Lovely sweet spicy fruit with subtle musk and floral rose petal nuances with underlying peach fleshiness. Crisp and refreshing yet rich and luscious with a very long finish. 17.5/20 28Aug2001. Sue Courtney
This off-dry wine is nicely balanced with juicy citrus, fizzy spices like ginger and a nice touch of coriander and lychees on the nose. It's a mouthfilling and flavorsome wine with just enough sweetness to balance the juicy citrus acidity. There's a good fragrance of lychees on the finish and persistent musk flavors (think pink smoker lollies) linger. Best served just slightly chilled. Sue Courtney 25Jul2002.

Sighardt Donabaum Bruck Select Gewürztraminer, Wachau 2001

Soljans Gewürztraminer 2001 Medium style with refreshing and slightly diluted lemon and orange juice flavors and fuller, musky, lychee-like flavors while the spiciness of orange zest with a hint of ginger and a touch of clove lingers well. A good hot summer's day style. Drink chilled. Sue Courtney 26Jan2002.

    Winery Notes: This very stylish wine displays the delicious spicy aromas and flavours of classic Gewurztraminer. Attractively perfumed with an abundance of ripe gingerbread characteristics, this wine is the perfect partner for full flavoured foods. Cellar for up to 5 years. !2.5% alc., $16.95

Stonecroft Gewürztraminer 2001 What an amazingly concentrated wine. Richly aromatic nose, rose perfumed talcum powder, spiced orange peel, honey and bees wax - but there no botrytis in this wine. In the mouth it's very delicate with citrus rose petal but underlying power and concentration. Has the typical intense oiliness of concentrated gewurz with lemon oil balanced to the sweetness of Turkish delight and the spiciness of ginger. Long and powerful, this is a very special Gewürztraminer - perhaps the best ever made in NZ. A miniscule crop meant the wine was made in old French oak as there was no tank small enough. $35. Sue Courtney 16 Feb2002.

    Winery Notes: Bright medium gold colour with ripe perfumed, opulent floral aromatics. Barrel fermented, the palate is full of flavours with great mid palate weight, a slightly oily texture and long, spicy finish. The wine is exhibiting well-developed characteristics now, with great promise of full Gewürztraminer characters as a result of a very low crop.

*(2)Sutter Home Winery Signature Gewürztraminer 2001, Trinchero Family  Estates, 13.0% alc., PSP $4.99 111704; VINEYARD NOTES: This wine was sourced primarily from grapes grown in Sutter Home Winery's estate vineyards in Lake County and the Sacramento Delta district. TASTING NOTES: This wine displays fresh, fragrant aromas of white peaches, lichee fruit, and rose petals, with a complex hint of allspice. The lush, rich flavors of this off-dry wine echo the aromas. Sweetness and acidity are well-balanced ending in a spicy, dry finish. This wine will pair well with many foods, especially those prepared with a sweet or hot flavors, Southwestern, and Caribbean cuisines, turkey, chicken, pork roast, or ham. WINEMAKING NOTES: Fermented and aged entirely in stainless steel tanks at cool temperatures, the wine displays the classic floral-spicy aromas and distinctive exotic fruit flavors of this classic variety. HARVEST DETAILS: Growing Regions: California's Lake County & Sacramento Delta. Cases: 30,000; Release Date: May 2002

Te Whare Ra Duke of Marlborough Gewürztraminer 2001 Pale lemon in color. A really appealing fragrance of flowers, talc and spice. A richly concentrated Gewürztraminer, quite luscious in the palate with strong peach, lychee, musk, citrus and a hint of angelica. Warming from the outset with its 14.5% alc. Lifted spice on the finish. Another great GW from TWR. $25. Sue Courtney 17Oct2001.
Pungent aroma with lilacs and roses. Apples at first then powerful Turkish Delight overtake the palate. Immensely powerful and concentrated with musk and slightly oily texture. A dry wine that lingers forever. Quite delicious. Most people liked it too. $25. Sue Courtney 6Feb2002.
Pale straw. Very perfumed too overpowering for some newcomers to this variety. "Lychees" said someone. "Soap" said someone else. Rose essence was very strong. Powerful flavors with musk, ginger, cinnamon and other spices, and that soft acidity of orange juice. The spice of five-spice powder lingers on the hot finish, no doubt influenced by the 14% alcohol. Sue Courtney 9May2002

Van Roekel Vineyards 2001 Gewurztraminer, Temecula, California, Estate Bottled; Alcohol:  12.7%'; Appearance:  Pale yellow/straw color. Aroma:  Floral and herbal nose with a lightly grassy & asphalt aroma. Flavor:  Apples, white apricots, and firm peaches. A very tasty Gewürztraminer with a snappy, fresh, green apple and pink grapefruit bite. Zesty and finishes crisply and with a faint minerally note. $11

Waipara Hills Marlborough Gewürztraminer 2001 Rich, spicy, even a little toasty with full-on flavors of Turkish Delight and lychees. Classic pungent Gewürztraminer flavors linger on the juicy, juicy, juicy finish. Just off dry. Sue Courtney 24Jul2003.

Weegmüller Haardter Bürgergarten Gewürztraminer Spätlese Dry 2001

Whitehaven Marlborough Gewürztraminer 2001 Shy, citrus aromas. A lovely, seemingly dry wine, but with 13.6 grams of residual sugar this is definitely in the medium sweet category. Terrific balance and classical gewurz flavors of rose petal, musk and spice with an oily unctuous texture. Turkish delight flavors linger. Even with its 14.0% alc. by volume, it is not at overpowering but very long in flavor and simply 'yum'. The grapes for this wine were sourced from the Two Ponds vineyard near Grovetown, Marlborough. 19/20 Sue Courtney 16Sep2001.

Wrights GW Gewuztraminer 2001The Wrights GW Gewürztraminer is a classic dry wine, with the grapes coming from Ormond, Gisborne. The grower was Roger Hyde. A lot of hard work went into selecting the berries to make this rich and complicated wine. The winemaker harvested 20% botrytis grapes to maximize the intense flavours in the wine, which is obtainable from Gewürztraminer, and in doing so gave the wine a golden straw colour. The wine has a brilliant bouquet of exotic lychees, apricots, caramelized figs and honey. The wine has had some oak influence, developing extra depth within the palate and increasing the length of the wine.