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

*Anselmann Gewürztraminer Kabinett 2002, 11.5% alc., Germany; Gewürztraminer weissweine; EWIPE $19.66 111704

Arrowood Saralee's Vineyard RRV Gewurztraminer 2002,  Price: $20 Body: Medium Dryness: Dry Comments: Split panel. Nutty, lichee nose with textbook Gewurz flavor profile of honeysuckle, spice and lichee flavors; dry with zippy acidity; long finish. Low production.

Artisan Sunvale Vineyard Gewürztraminer 2002 - Tolaga Bay Good aromatics with typical Gewurz spice. A medium style, quite citrussy in the palate, seems a bit light at first but fills out to a strong pungent finish. Quite refreshing with citrus, spice and a touch of rose petal. I call it a Riesling style of GW, as it is fresh and citrussy rather than one of big oily numbers. Serve chilled for quaffing on the deck in the summer. $18.95, Sue Courtney 18Feb2004.

    Winery Notes: A delicate off-dry style with the lovely spicy lychee character typical of Gewurztraminer. A fresh clean finishing wine to match with antipasto, seafood or lunch el fresco. Awards: This wine has 2 Bronze medals from the Air New Zealand and Bragato Awards. $16

Artisan Tolaga Bay Gisborne Gewürztraminer 2002 This is my style - powerful with musk and spice, off dry (10 g rs), moreish and really quite good. Sue Courtney 20Aug2002.

Askerne Hawkes Bay Gewürztraminer 2002 Water clear. Classic rose Turkish Delight flavor. Concentrated rose essence, pepper, muck and orange zest with rich rose flavors lingering with sweetish fruit. A very pretty gewurz. $19. Sue Courtney 18Aug2002.

Astrolabe Marlborough Gewürztraminer 2002 There's musk, spice and orange honey on nose of this pungently perfumed Gewürztraminer, that reminds one of the tasters of the Cussan's Hand Lotion that her mother used. It's hot and spicy with green ginger, rosewater and orange juice flavors, a sweetish wine but perhaps just a little but flabby. 13.5% alc. $18.95. Sue Courtney 2Jul2003.

Avery Lane 2002 Gewurztraminer (Columbia Valley); A very nice, spicy, fruity style of Gewurz, with the emphasis on sweet lychee and floral spice. Sugars and acids in good balance. Serve well chilled. Wine Enthusiast - 87 pts; 12% alc.

        Reviews: "A different style of spice on the nose. More Alsace in style, nice complexity and breadth and a medium-full finish. Very good added complexity with some feral characters showing. I liked it. Excellent." -Murray Almond, 5th October, 2003
          lyches, spice and pears and gentle acidity."
-Michael Cooper, Buyer's Guide to New Zealand Wines 2004
        "A little time in bottle has allowed this wine to develop some lovely spicy notes. The palate is broad and full flavoured, almost Alsace in style, with just a faint touch of sweetness."
-Jane Skilton, Hospitality Magazine, July, 2004

Bel Lago Gewürztraminer 2002, Leelanau Peninsula, Michigan, semi-dry; 750 ml; Delightful fruit flavors, lychee and rose petals with ample amounts of spice in a wonderful, lingering finish. A cool climate classic. Rich and full-bodied.

*Beringer Gewürztraminer 2002, 12.5% alc. PS $4.99 11110

Bladen Gewürztraminer 2002 Pale, delicate Gewürztraminer, dry and tangy and richly flavored. Sue Courtney 18Aug2002.

Bookwalter Gewurztraminer 2002 Columbia Valley Gewürztraminer.  The vineyard sources for this wine are located in the Columbia and Yakima Valley Appellations. 84% Klingele, 6% Shaw & 4% Charbonneau. Final Blend - 90% Gewürztraminer, 10% Johannisberg Riesling.  Bottled Alcohol: 12.6%; Production: 555 Cases; Winery Tasting Notes: With a small amount of Riesling blended into the wine to add fruit dimension and brighten the acidity, this pleasantly semi-sweet wine still retains the classic Gewürztraminer aromas of rose petals, cloves and nutmeg. Flavors of fresh tangerines, mangos, and nutmeg mingle throughout the body of the wine. Enjoy now through 2005.This is the first year of Gewürztraminer production for Bookwalter Winery. This wine has limited distribution and is generally only available at the winery through the tasting room and lounge.

Burnt Spur Martinborough Gewürztraminer 2002 Excellent varietal characters on the nose of this very dry wine. While some classic musky gewurz fruit eventually emerges it's a little nutty at this stage and needs some time to develop. 13.9% alc. 1.3gm rs. Sue Courtney 16Oct2002.

    Note: "Burnt Spur Martinborough released its first range in 2002. This range included a gewurztraminer but the total production was less than 80 dozen. The variety has since been replaced in the vineyard and the Burnt Spur Martinborough varietal range is now limited to pinot noir, pinot gris and sauvignon blanc. Kind regards, Stephanie Hagen." 11/29/04

Crossroads Destination Series Gewürztraminer 2002 Aromatic and spicy with canned lychee and orange juices, coriander and musk. It is ripe and bright with sweet fruit flavors and an off dry finish. $19.95. Sue Courtney 15Mar2003.

Dry River Arapoff Gewürztraminer Selection 2002 Smells like Gewürztraminer should with terrific aromatics of musk, spice, flowers and honey. In the palate the sweetness hits straight up. It reminds me of apples that have been baked with a date in the middle. This flavor fills out to be joined by raisiny spices , honey, lemon honey and hints of plumped-up dried apricots. The finish is sweet and full, lifted and clean and lasts for ages. It is so well balanced it gives the impression at one stage that perhaps it could be dry, though of course it is not. It is decadently lush, sweet and syrupy, full and persistent - a GW for sipping whereas the earlier release from 2002, the Dry River Estate Gewürztraminer which was one of my 'Wines of the Year' in 2002, is the one I want a big glass of to drink. Try this with fresh peach poached in gewürztraminer syrup, grilled with sugar and served with marscapone and rose petals Sue Courtney 16Feb2003.
Light gold in color , rich, fat and oily in the palate. Oily and lush with a beeswax, botrytis influence, honeyed, spicy, oily aromatics, spiced nectarines/oranges in syrup, becomes finer and more linear on the finish. Very long, honeyed, a little peachy, more obvious luscious late harvest style with lingering gingery / zesty spice. Great persistence with sweet fruit lingering. 13% alc. Sue Courtney 13Mar2004.

Dry River Estate Gewürztraminer 2002 Not too sweet and not too dry, just simply luscious in its flavor. It's all there - on the nose, every part of the palate and the flavor that lingers in the mouth long after the wine has been swallowed goes on, seemingly forever. I love the fragrance of lemon blossom and old English roses. I love the flavor of musk, citrus, honey, sugar and spice and all things nice. And I just love the concentration, the slightly oily texture and the touch of rose hip on the finish. Sue Courtney 19Nov2002.
Quite exotic at first on the nose with subtle spice and a hint of rose. But later I thought it smelt a little tired and oxidized. The flavor, however, is quite exquisite and the freshly squeezed orange juice hits and lingers well to be joined by roses and spice. The texture and balance is easily the best of all the wines. It is also seemingly the sweetest of the wines so far. While it loses on the nose it still has the flavor and when the wines are revealed I find out why. It turns out to be the remnants of the Dry River Estate Gewürztraminer which was opened 2 weeks earlier. It was thrown into the tasting just for fun. Even though it has been open 2 weeks, the quality of the wine still shines through. S. GW tasting - Sue Courtney 4Dec2002.

Enate Gewurztraminer 2002

Firelands Winery Gewürztraminer 2002, Ohio

Fleischmann Krieger 2002 Gewuerztraminer cabinet drying, 0.75 Ltr. 3.50 euro, 11.0% alc., Cultivation area Pfalz

Framingham Marlborough Gewürztraminer 2002 (sc) Lemon biscuit and roses on the nose, strongly flavored, oily, lemony, rich and powerful becoming quite sweet and luscious on the finish. Developed well, still rich and powerful with lush flavors of rose, musk and spice. The residual sugar adds the luscious factor. Good wine but too overpowering for the delicate flavors of a Tandoori Chicken - would be better with Thai. 13.5%. Sue Courtney 12Apr2003.

Frey-Sohler Gewurztraminer 2002 A Gewurztraminer made by the Sohler brothers which is uncomplicated, but fresh, true to type and well balanced. Silver medal in Colmar.

Fromm Marlborough Gewürztraminer 2002 Dry, aromatic, floral and steely with a subtle power that builds in the palate. Quite nutty with zest spices, it's silky in texture and lingers well with a subtle rose petal influence. The more you drink the richer it gets and Turkish Delight joins in too. 14% alc. 1.5gm rs. Sue Courtney 26Aug2003.

Grand Cru Vineyards 2002 Gewurztraminer, Bronco Wine Co., California, Forest Glen winery website

J. Hofstätter Gewurztraminer 2002 Gewürztraminer is matured for 6 months, partly in stainless steel and partly in large oak casks. This Gewürztraminer expresses the full unique varietal character of the grape: full, bright straw yellow, good concentration with an accentuated aromatic character reminiscent of smoked spices, dried flowers and rose petals which develops and intensifies in the glass. On the palate it is full and unctuous, firm and deliciously fresh and lively. To enjoy this wine at its best we recommend that you cellar it for at least one year to allow it to develop to the full its classic bouquet. GOES ESPECIALLY WELL WITH: On its own as an aperitif, with shellfish, goose liver, oysters and gorgonzola cheese.

Huntaway Gisborne Marlborough Gewürztraminer 2002 Strongly scented yet delicate with a floral musky and orange blossom aroma. Good nose at first but later it had disappeared into the ether. This is a sweet, toasty, flavorsome wine with the toasty not from oak but an orange toffee-like toastiness (if that makes sense). Quite juicy too with some very attractive spice. It just seems a little clumsy and not quite integrated at this stage. Has the potential to develop however. 17/20. 13.5%. GW tasting - Sue Courtney 4Dec2002

    Winery Notes: Release date: 1 October 2002; Description: Colour: Pale yellow gold. Aromas: A rich bouquet of grapefruit, lychee and exotic spice. Palate: Rich and full-bodied with ripe stone fruit flavours and a lingering spicy finish. A trace of natural sweetness perfectly balances the natural acidity and fruit flavours. Recommended Cellaring: This wine is lovely to drink now, but will benefit from careful cellaring for up to three years. Maturation notes: This wine was bottled early to retain the fresh, aromatic, varietal characters of Gewürztraminer, and to allow the wine to develop with careful cellaring. 14% alc.

Kahurangi Gewürztraminer Nelson 2002, $23; Wine Spectator: 87 pts.

Kemblefield Hawkes Bay Gewürztraminer 2002,  Spicy, lots of citrus and orange flavors tending a bit towards rotten oranges however. Another bottle was opened. 2nd-bottle. Rose petal, hints of cloves, very delicate with a rich palate weight emerging. Lovely spice profile with hints of ginger and a nice twist of lemon and orange on the finish. This well-textured wine is very tight in its youth and needs a few months to develop and open up. Sue Courtney 19Aug2002.

Kemblefield 'The Distinction' Hawkes Bay Gewürztraminer 2002 Spritzig character to this pale wine. Sweet scents of roses, orange rind and barley sugar. However in the mouth it is a little odd with pungent herbal and cough medicine syrup-like flavors. I don't really like this. 15/20. 13% . GW tasting - Sue Courtney 4Dec2002

Kendall-Jackson Gewürztraminer 2002, California, Vintner's Reserve; Note: no gewurzt found on winery's current website as of 12/1/04.

Keuka Spring Vineyards Gewurztraminer 2002, Finger Lakes area, Penn Yan, New York; $13.99

Kissed - Organic Gewurztraminer 2002, $19.75 CDN, Varietal aromas and flavors include roses, lilacs, lychee, and spices. A honeyed introduction with a lover's bite. Kissed is perfect for festivities of ethnic flavors and romantic interplay. Blessed by Medicine Woman Chelsea Wise, with the intentions of sensual delights, this wine is an elixir of playful passion. Kissed is produced with 100% certified organic BC grown grapes and aged in a four storey, 8% replica of Egypt's Great Pyramid. The artwork painted by world renowned fantasy artist Brian Froud captures the excellence of the flavors of this wine.

Lamoreaux Landing Gewürztraminer 2002, New York

Laugel Gewurztraminer 2002, WBS Selection 32.10 euros

Lawson's Dry Hills Gewürztraminer 2002 Quite delicate at first with its subtle spiciness but the richness soon becomes apparent. A dry, spicy, leesy wine with hints of apricot and lots of attar of rose, ginger and musky spices. A weighty wine that is balanced, clean and long. Sue Courtney 15Aug2002.
Quite delicate scent but underlying the delicacy the palate is powerful and rich. Sweet citrus is overlain with citrus, ginger and orange blossom. The more I try of this wine, the more I like it. Sue Courtney 18Aug2002.
Quite pungent on the nose with citrus more in the lemon spectrum together with sweet smelling florals and musk. The more I smell this wine the more I like it - it just keeps getting better. Quite unctuous and spicy in the mouth - you know you have a wine in there. Lovely balance and great length. Honey, orange, roses, musk and dried five spice on the finish. Quite a weighty wine with a smooth, oily texture. Perhaps high alcohol too. Later it seems a little steely on the finish. Very good. I originally scored it 18.5/20, then marked it down to 17.5 than elevated it back to 18.5 again. It's definitely gold for this very concentrated delicious wine. 14.5% alc. GW tasting - Sue Courtney 4Dec2002
Spiced orange citrus in the palate, cloves and ginger, rose petals and lychees, it's reasonably dry with an intense spicy flavor and lots of alcohol that gives a flush of heat to the juicy finish. Very long in flavor with a honeyed richness. 19Mar2003.
Bright yellow gold, seemingly quite developed in color. Oily texture, rich attar of rose, ginger, cardamom and five spice, then honeycomb on the finish. Quite hot to the palate otherwise well-balanced. Abundant rose petal on the concentrated finish. Sue Courtney 9Jun2003.

Londer Vineyards' Sweet Gewürztraminer 2002, Tasting notes: Deep gold color, hugely fragrant of ripe apricots, papaya, and honeysuckle blossoms. The mouth is deeply flavored with yellow tree fruits with a rich textured late palate that goes on and on. Technical Data: . 36 cases (375 ml.) bottled with: Alcohol-11.32% pH-3.2 RS-2.83%. Wine and Spirits rated 90.

Longridge Gisborne Marlborough Gewürztraminer 2002 Strong aromas with lots of sweet scented flowers, citrus blossom and spice. Very good. Spicy in the palate. A more citrus spicy style. Lots of musk and lychee flavors. A little hot however - higher alcohol probably. Quite juicy lemon and orange citrus finish. Most acidic so far. Drier too? Good length with some orange honey coming out - fairly concentrated in the rose department as it lingers. A thirst quenching style. Good. Later orange juice, cloves and cardamon spices linger. 18.5/20 13.5%. GW tasting - 4Dec2002.Sue Courtney
Lemon colored, fragrant, spicy, musky, gingery with just the slightest hint of overripe citrus. In the palate, orange juice, a touch of musk and a lingering rose petal finish. Medium style not showing as well as it did (from this bottle) as it did earlier in the year. ***. Sue Courtney 7Aug2003.

    Longridge of Hawkes Bay Gewürztraminer 2002 Release date: July 2002; Variety: 100% Gewürztraminer; Region: 46% Hawkes Bay, 38% Gisborne, 16% Marlborough. This wine has a lifted perfume with lovely floral aromas and a deliciously soft palate exhibiting grapefruit and fresh ginger flavours. Description Aromas: Lifted floral notes of winter Daphne, underpinned with hints of lavender and yellow citrus fruits. Palate: Off-dry in style this wine exhibits distinct floral flavours complemented by a lingering finish of grapefruit and fresh ginger. Alcohol: 13.5% by volume, retail price of NZ$14.95

Madroña Gewürztraminer 2002, Winery Notes: This wine is truly a chameleon. Shut your eyes, bury your senses into the aromas, and you could be enjoying a classic Viognier. Intense tropical fruit with layer upon layer of ripe mango, lychee and brilliant pear intermingle with hints of rose petals and ginger. Take a sip and the wine is altogether something different. Crisp and bright, but with the richness of a full-bodied Chardonnay, the palate treats the taster to a barrage of grapefruit and citrus zest sprinkled with green tea spice. All in all, this Gewürztraminer shows ever aspect of a great Alsatian Gewürz. Dry on the palate, luscious fruit and an incredible finish, you just may find yourself speaking French by the end of the bottle. Aging 18 months in French and American Oak (25% new); 13.5% alc., Production 542 case; Pair this wine with Jamaican Jerk Chicken, Thai Yellow Curry or Smoked Salmon. In other words, enjoy it with intense dishes.

Margrain Martinborough Gewürztraminer 2002 Petillant (tiny bubbles) in the glass. Pale colored. Served chilled it has citrus on the nose and lemon honey and white flowers in the palate. A sweetish wine, like sweet marmalade with just a touch of ginger but with terrific balance so it is not at all cloying. There’s some lovely summer herb flavors in here too, perhaps some lemon grass, or perhaps it is just the citrus peel. Whatever it adds a nice intrigue to the end. As the wine warms up it has more typical gewurz flavors of rose petal and spices. 14.5%. 18.5/20. Sue Courtney 7Dec2003.
Bright, lively, lemony, lemon meringue, mouthfilling, titillating, slightly viscous texture, spicy lifted finish. You know you've got something in your mouth when you drink this. It has lots of depth and a great aftertaste. (Different bottle to yesterday). *****. Sue Courtney 8Dec2003.
Enticingly fragrant with lemon Turkish Delight, musk and spicy scents, full bodied and weighty with in the palate ginger marmalade, candied lemon, lychee juice and a touch of lemon grass adding an intriguing herbal twist to the end. A luscious wine, perfect either chilled or at room temperature, a wine to enjoy with salty or spicy foods. I took a bottle of this wine along to a party and it was very popular, everyone loved it. 18.5/20. Sue Courtney 13Dec2003.

    Winery Notes: 2002 When the opportunity presents itself to get ripe grapes; -really ripe grapes, we embrace it with all hands. The 2002 season suited Gewurz down to the ground. From the warm and settled flowering period which encouraged the vines to set their best crop ever, through to the long, warm and dry autumn which allowed us to wait and wait and wait, this was always going to be a great wine. The rich golden colour suggests a wine of considerable extract. The nose is sweet, floral and lifted with lychees, marzipan, muscatel and a hint of hops. Also evident is a hint of fusel oil. The palate is deliciously sweet and lush. It has mouthfeel to burn and a wonderful tactile element. The acid is typically soft yet there is a solid structure built on peppery phenolics and stingy alcohol. The wine lingers in the finish, is wantonly voluptuous and slowly fades as truly a Heavenly creature. Harvest date: 20 May 2001, Bottling Date: 4 Oct 2002, Release Date: 10 Nov 2002.

Martinelli 2002 Gewurztraminer Russian River Valley

Maryhill Gewurztraminer 2002 Maryhill's third Gewurztraminer excludes a powerful medley of melon fruit. Flavors of crisp Granny Smith apples and Columbia Valley grown peaches are present leading to a pleasing creamy mouth feel.

Marynissen Estates 2002 Gewurztraminer Barrel Select

Meridian Vineyards, 2002 Gewurztraminer, Santa Barbara County, California

*Mill Creek Dry Creek Valley Gewürztraminer 2002, Estate Bottled, 13.5% alc., VRIBLU $10.99 111904

Mills Reef Reserve Gewurztraminer 2002 - a richly perfumed with lychee and citrus fruits. It has good weight on the middle palate with masses of lemon. 

Montana 'P' Patutahi Estate Gisborne Gewürztraminer 2002,  Sweetly scented with spun sugar and citrus rind. A sweeter wine in the palate with lots of spices like cinnamon and five-spices in freshly squeezed orange. Quite juicy, well-balanced, a little oily, smooth and long. Spice lifts the finish. This is simply a lovely refreshing and very drinkable wine and the finish just goes on and on. Excellent in the sweeter wine category. 13.5% 18.5+/20. GW tasting - Sue Courtney 4Dec2002
Watery color. Quite closed on the nose, some faintly floral aromas perhaps. Quite strong in flavor with first-up acid drop and mandarin flavors developing into full rich juicy lime and lemon. It's quite tight, fairly tart and just a little astringent and there's a cheesy (Brie) and slightly sulphury character on the finish. 13.5% alc. $21.95. Sue Courtney 30Apr2002.
It was hard to pick the variety of this pale colored wine when tasting it immediately after the Schlumberger. The Alsace wine had been so rich and pungent with its typical Gewürztraminer perfume but the 'P' seemed to have almost none of the hallmark traits. Could it be a vibrant, juicy, aromatic Pinot Gris, a Viognier (I certainly detected apricots), a sweetish fruity Riesling or perhaps some obscure variety from somewhere around the world? But it was indeed Gewürztraminer and NZ Gewürztraminer at that. It had a slightly musky tropical and stonefruit nose with just a hint of caramelizing sugar and a full rich and fruity sweetish, sugary, juicy ripe apricot and tropical fruit flavor, but no Turkish Delight or lychees. It was, however, thoroughly delicious drinking and the flavors lingered for ages. 13.5% alc. $25.95. Sue Courtney 23Apr2003.

Millton Gisborne 'Growers Series' Gewürztraminer 2002 It's an oily style of gewurz, slightly spritzy and citrussy with lots of ginger, peppery spice and rose infused honey flavors on a soft acid structure with good length. Just a little understated in expressing its varietal character so good for those who sometimes find the Gewürztraminer flavors overpowering. 13% alc. Sue Courtney 1Oct2003.

    Winery Notes: Gewürztraminer is very much at home in the rich clay soils of Gisborne. The early frosts of 2003 effected the flowering in such a way that it gave small bunches of tiny fully flavoured berries. The wine has fragrant aromatics of ginger and cloves. A clean, well-structured palate finishes with a full flavoured and warm lingering spicy taste. I want this wine to ooze deep spice and this classic Gewurztraminer is more linear than just plain fat.  $20.00

Navarro Estate Bottled Gewürztraminer 2002, Anderson Valley

Ohinemuri Estate 2002 Gewurztraminer, This fruit was grown in the famous Tony Butler vineyard in Ormond. One third of the juice was fermented in French oak barrels. The extended fermentation at cool temperatures has accentuated the tropical fruit flavours. A further 7 weeks lees maturation has given it a good mouth feel and enhanced the vibrant structure of this classic Alsatian wine style. Spicy dishes, like Thai food, curries ,sweet and sour dishes and blue vein cheeses are perfect food matches. Will age well until 2006. Price $20.00

Orfila Vineyards & Winery Gewürztraminer 2002, Monterey County, 750ml. Heavenly, delicate, floral.  Gorgeous aromas of roses and honeysuckle layer the palate with melon, pears and honey.  Small hints of spice on the finish.  Ideal with spicy foods or as an aperitif.  Serve chilled.  Slightly sweet.. $15.00/Bottle

Peninsula Cellars Gewürztraminer 2002, Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan; This is a classic, dry Gewurztraminer. Although the vineyard is young, this fourth leaf crop produced pretty rose petal and lychee aromas. A warmer fermentation brought forth the five spice/anise flavors and allowed the yeast to convert the natural sugars to a moderately high12.0% alcohol. The pairs well with typical gewurz fare like curry, wasabi and seared tuna, or gorgonzola and blackened chicken. Our growing reputation for distinct Gewurztraminer is making this cult classic a popular choice for restaurant features.$15 per bottle

Peninsula Cellars Reserve List Gewürztraminer Manigold Vineyard 2002 This Gewurztraminer was harvested from a two acre vineyard on Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan, USA. We crushed 4.5 tons and let the skins soak for 24-36 hours. The juice was fermented between 15-20 C. We left the wine in contact with the lies for 13 weeks. Because the wine was stabilized only to 7 C some tartrates may form. We chose to do this because the pH would have risen too high had we gone cooler. The tartrates are preferable to accelerated aging. The wine has intense Gewurz aromas, a rich mouth-filling palate, and a spicy finish that will intrigue any Gewurztraminer fan. 14.3% alc.,$18 per bottle

Peregrine Central Otago Gewürztraminer 2002 Showing a slightly honeyed aroma and seems older than the other wines in the lineup with either a bit of burnt sugar or burnt match. ?sulphur perhaps. There's also a metallic character in the mouth that overpowers the pungent flavor. However as I look for redeeming features I find some nice orange and musky spices in there and the finish is actually not too bad with a strong rose flavor. It seems a sweeter wine. I don't like the entry but I do like the finish. Will look forward to trying another bottle to confirm whether this particular one was faulty. 14.5% alc. GW tasting - Sue Courtney 4Dec2002

    Winery Notes: The 2002 vintage allowed for great development of varietal flavours with the super ripe fruit from vineyards in Gibbston and Lowburn showing spicy ginger characteristics. The wine has Alsace and New World flavours with the spice and floral notes of a cool climate Gewurztraminer combined with complex fruit flavours, a mouth filling texture and lingering finish. Grapes: 100% Gewurztraminer, Alc/vol 14.5%, Residual Sugar 2.8g/l, T/A 4.2g/l.

Phoenix Gisborne Gewürztraminer 2002 It takes a while to show it true varietal character on the nose but there's good definition in the palate. It's an off-dry, spicy, oily style with spiced oranges, Turkish delight, ginger and clove-like spices, rose petal infused sugar and the more bitter rosehips. Slightly developed. Well-balanced. Extra good length. 14% alc. Sue Courtney 1Oct2003. Note: Amor-Bendall label = Phoenix Gisborne

Scheid Vineyards 2002 Gewurztraminer, Central Vineyard, Monterey, California

Allan Scott Gewürztraminer 2002 Very pale in color. With its really pungent aromas and classical gw flavors, it was easy to pick the variety from this wine that was served blind. Lots of attar of rose, spices, a little ginger and musk. Really well balanced and doesn't taste as sweet as the 7 grams of residual sugar would suggest, there's a nice lemon twist to the finish of this pungently floral wine. Long and lengthy - gewurz as I like it. A hint of old oak adds complexity to the texture. First release of this variety from this producer. Sue Courtney 9Sep2002.

Siefried Dry Gewürztraminer 2002 Wonderfully classic flavors of lychee, orange, musk and ginger. Dry but ripe. Rich and very long in flavor. Delicious. Sue Courtney 18Aug2002.

Silver Lake Gewurztraminer Roza Vineyard 2002, $10 ($9). From the winery: "This spicy, floral wine is the result of another exceptional growing season in the Columbia Valley. After harvest the wine underwent a slow cool fermentation that helped develop layers of luscious fruit aromas and flavors. While the nose reveals spicy pear scents characteristic of this varietal, on the palate flavors of pears and peaches linger in the long finish. This off-dry wine is the perfect complement to a summer picnic or that Holiday turkey!"

*(2)Soljans Gisborne Gewürztraminer 2002 (sc) Lovely punqent lemon skin aroma. Quite spritzig -(bottled only 2 weeks), floral and spiced apple aromas. Just off-dry, this gw has a nice perfume and pungency and a good full-bodied lingering finish. $17.50. Sue Courtney 6 Jul2002.
A light breezy aromatic style to suit lightly spiced foods or simply as an aperitif on the deck on a cruisy sunny afternoon. Good spicy backbone and length, still drinking well 2 years on from vintage. 13.5% alc. 6g/L rs. $18. Sue Courtney 22Aug2004. ---BRENGW $9.99 103904 & BREMIL $9.99 111804

    Winery Notes: This seductive, spicy wine is honeyed on the nose and displays ginger and lychee notes on the palate leading to a clean, dry finish. Harvested in early March with a Brix of 23. The wine was fermented in 2 lots with different yeasts to enhance the traditional flavours and aromas of Gewurztraminer. The resulting wines were then blended with slight aeration to help with flavour evolution. This wine was bottled early to capture the elegant style of this wine. 13% alc., $17.50 Perfect for drinking now, this wine can be cellared for up to 5 years.

Spy Valley Gewürztraminer 2002 Sweeter style and a little disintegrated and herbal at this stage. Powerful sugary finish, seems a little unbalanced. 9 grams r.s. Sue Courtney 18Aug2002.

Stonecroft Hawkes Bay Gewürztraminer 2002 Smells of lychees and spiced raisin bread, this a really rich, full-bodied, spicy Gewürztraminer, quite concentrated in its flavor of rose Turkish delight. It is reasonably dry but the balance and texture is superb, so I could be delusioned. No I am not - it has only 5 grams of residual sugar. The finish is dry and spicy with a lift of lemon and an oily nuance with a herbal twist to the finish, reminding me of crushed summer herbs such as coriander. I like this wine very much. $30 on mail order. Sue Courtney 17Feb2003.
Distinctively varietal with sweet musky rose petal and lychee juice aromas, this is rich and oily textured with Turkish Delight, spices, nuts, icing sugar and excellent fruit weight. Very long and flavorsome. Good wine. 13.5% alc. $39.95. Sue Courtney 4Jun2003. *****

    Winery Notes: What a relief to have a regular crop again after 2001 - if 2.5 t/acre is regular. Beautiful fruit produced a well balanced, weighty, textured wine. Aromas of lychees and roses are followed by a full, almost creamy palate, with Turkish Delight character giving way to a weighty mid palate, and a fine lingering spice that goes on forever. Fine wine with great cellaring potential.

*(2) Sutter Home Gewürztraminer 2002,  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, lychee 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 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 pH: 3.18; WINE INFORMATION: Composition: 100% Gewurztraminer: Alcohol: 12.9; Total Acidity: .65 ph;  Residual Sugar: 3.0; Cases: 18, 911; Release Date: 5/9/03. PS124 $4.00 111904

Torres Viña Esmeralda 2002, A blend of Gewurztraminer and two types of Muscat grapes, the musky Muscat aromas are pronounced on the nose. It's delicately floral with rose flavored Turkish Delight becoming quite powerful as the Gewurztraminer component makes itself known. There's lemon, orange and apple flavors in the palate together with rose oil and white raisins. It's a light wine, an aperitif style and I can imagine it with bubbles, served very chilled on a hot summer's day. There's an ever so slightly savoury nuance on the fruity finish and the length is very good. I'm looking forward to seeing this in screwcaps in New Zealand, possibly as soon as the next shipment. 11% alc. $21.95. Sue Courtney

Villa Maria PB East Coast Gewürztraminer 2002 Just off dry with the aromas of lychees and the flavors of ripe peaches and oranges together with spice. There's a coriander influence in this weighty wine which will make it perfect for Thai foods that use this herb - my favourite is Thai fish cakes. $17. Sue Courtney 31July02.
Soft acidity, quite musky flavors, rose water and orange juice but there's a hard note on the finish. Has good varietal flavors though with lots of spice lingering. Great for the BYO Thai. $20. Sue Courtney 19Jun2002.

Villa Maria Private Bin Gewürztraminer 2002 Showing a classic gw nose with rose petals, musk and exotic spices. Quite citrusy in the palate with lemons as well as orange. Good flavor, refreshing but lacks the unctuousness of some of the others. Bubble gum flavor. But perhaps it doesn't need it. Pungent in its flavor and spicy and flavorsome in its length. White pepper perhaps as the finish is definitely a little hot. High alcohol again perhaps. Lots of spritz. 17.5/20. Perhaps more. ? alcohol. GW tasting - Sue Courtney 4Dec2002

Villa Maria Reserve Gisborne Gewürztraminer 2002 Very perfumed and floral like a ladies boudoir, the delicate flavors are quite mellow in the palate with a broad leesy lemony finish, just lacking a little punchiness two and a half years on from vintage. 14% alc. 4g/L rs. Sue Courtney 19Oct2004.

Waitiri Creek Central Otago Gewürztraminer 2002 (sc) Broad tropical fruit flavors in this just off dry lightly spicy wine with a herbal twist to the finish. Produced every second year. 14% alc. $30. Sue Courtney 22Aug2004.

    Winery Note: This style of wine is very complex and reflects the winemaker's influence. The Wrights GW Gewürztraminer has not been produced with animal by products or dairy products, making it suitable for vegans and vegetarians to enjoy. The GW range of wines is the first in New Zealand to be fully certified vegetarian, through the New Zealand Vegetarian Society. 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.