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Gewurztraminer

I'll take a break from grading and post some back tasting notes.

Actually, one wine that I did not like when opened one week ago was the Riverview (Ontario) Gewurztraminer 1998. I am tasting the opened bottle again tonite, and although I have no notes from when it was frist opened, it does not seem to have gotten worse. The nose is a little off-putting, that of freshly varnished wood. Maybe this is similar to many cheap hybrids or native American white wines I've tasted from the Eastern US (unripe fruit). But if you get past that, there is a floral nose of petunias?, and a slightly sweet midflavors of lemon, and a slightly metallic finish. It certainly does not have the spice of the Alsatian Gewurz, but is in a softer, New World style. I'd have to give a C+ on the Dale Williams scale.

From a simple meal of sausage, potato salad, and sauerkraut two weeks ago:

Lamoreauz Landing New York Gewurz. 1999 Nose of light fuel oil and fresh cream. Violets? Creamy and spicy flavors. This producer seems to have fresh cream essence in a lot of their wines (Seneca Lake terroir?) Definitely softer, less spicy than the Trimbach.

Trimbach Gewurz. 1992 (their basic product) Oily, buttery nose, floral, petunias? Spicy flavors, biting finish. Cleaner, purer taste than Lamoreauz Landing. My friends, new to Gewurz, did not care for this. Definitely needs the sauerkraut and vinegar peparatuions to stand up to it. I like both of these wines, and either seems to be good with the meal.

My conclusion is still that the Finger Lakes best wines are Riesling and Gewurztraminer, benefiting from the cool summers.

For dessert, we also tried Covey Run Late Harvest Riesling 2002 (WA). 24 brix,

10.5% alc. 2% RS, if I remember from the bottle. This had some good spice, but I thought the flavors were simple, like very sweet sugar water, with a rather metallic finish. Rather low acid. My disclaimer is that I like wines with high acidity. So Dale can trust my palate; others can take this into account. Inexpensive wine at $8 purchased at Safeway in Butte, MT. I have no idea what it costs in more ordinary places, but it is probably widely distributed, because WS wrote it up.

The Lamoreaux Landing and Riverview Gewurz. are NOT widely distributed.

Tom Schellberg

Reply to
Xyzsch
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Tom,

do you think the varnished wood note could be ethyl acetate? I can't confidently distinguish between volatile compounds, I just call them all VA, but varnish/nail polish is suppsed to be ethyl acetate , right?

I'm impressed a basic '92 Gew. is holding on so well, but that's Trimbach for you.

Thanks for the notes Dale

Dale Williams Drop "damnspam" to reply

Reply to
Dale Williams

Not AFAIK, Dale. Nail polish remover is typically either methyl propionate (another volatile ester, sweeter smelling than EA) or methyl ethyl ketone (smell similar to acetone). Ethyl acetate is most often associated with certain overripe fruit (pears, peaches), though some people I've known seemed to get more of an acetic acid (vinegar) smell from EA (probably from hydrolysis in the nasal mucosa).

Mark Lipton

Reply to
Mark Lipton

Ethyl acetate is familiar as the smell of Pear Drop boiled sweets, and to vintage aviators as the "dope" used for proofing and tensioning fabric panels. I don't recall ever experiencing it on the nose of a Gewurtz, but frequently encounter it in young and/or over-oaked low-end Southern hemisphere chardonnays and chenin blancs. I recently bought a case of Lindemans Cawarra 2003 (yes, it was for one of those busy social occasions when I'm reluctant to share the good stuff!) and the nose was overpoweringly "dope". Surprisingly, the taste was quite pleasant in a sort of not expecting too much way.

Ian

Reply to
Ian Hayward

I'm certainly no chemist, and as I said usually just refer to all volatiles as VA (sue me). But I had been told on several occasions that the nail polish note was ethyl acetate. A quick google seemed to back that up (though in at least Robin's case, I know he's not a chemist either):

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acetate. Dale

Dale Williams Drop "damnspam" to reply

Reply to
Dale Williams

Dale, Likewise, I can't claim to have done a systematic survey of nail polishes for their smells. However, when I looked over those three references I was struck by their use of "similar to." In fact, the third says that nail polish smell is acetone. Now, I've spent my last

20 years in labs with both acetone and ethyl acetate in everyday use. To me, there's little similarity between the two aside from their volatility. However, to someone who doesn't come into regular contact with volatile organics, the two smells might seem similar enough to use as a reference point. Who knows? What I can say for certain is that I find EA to be fairly pleasant, whereas acetone is not. De gustibus, no doubt...

Mark Lipton

Reply to
Mark Lipton

Riverview Cellars

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is a fairly small player in the Niagara, Ontario VQA Region. It is not well distributed, and not that highly rated. Their type of Gewurztraminier, more citrus than typical tropical fruits, is not classic in any sense.

A popular Canadian wine newsletter, Nat Decants, highlights Ontario choices more typical of a Gewurz from Alsace like Pierre Sparr et which always ends up on the LCBO Vintages "Essentials" list. Prices are in Canadian dollars at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario:

LCBO # 142893 Sumac Ridge Estate Winery Gewurztraminer 1999, 13.0% Alcohol/Vol., British Columbia, $12.95: If you love this style, you'll love this wine. Redolent of lychee nuts and rose petals. A touch of sweetness softens the wine making it a lovely sipper for those first spring days sitting out on the veranda.

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LCBO # 302059 Cave Spring Gewurztraminer 2000, Niagara $14.95: Lovely lychee nuts and flowers. Surprising just how well Niagara (and Cave Spring) can make wine from this grape.

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Cave Spring is probably the better known winery to drinkers in Eastern Canada (excellent Off-Dry Rieslings and Ice Wines) with a highly rated restaurant on site. Sumac Ridge is a perennial award winner from the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia for several types of wines.

Dennis Windsor, Ontario

Reply to
Dennis Rekuta

Thanks for your recomendations, Dennis. Actually, we tasted Riverview at at winery (and I bought a bottle) when my family went over the border for the day. No time to be scientific about finding the top wineries.

Next time I'm in Ontario, I'll try the Cave Spring. I doubt I'll be able to get the BC wines. I get Nat's newsletter, so I'll check her choices.

Tom Schellberg

Reply to
Xyzsch

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