2008 Gewürztraminer

Aromas of orange blossom, sweet lemon peel and loads of spice leap from this intensely fragrant Gewürztraminer. A lively entry leads to ripe flavors of kaffir lime, blood orange, apricot and honeysuckle, all kept in elegant balance by the vibrant structure. The bright finish of citrus and spice goes on and on. Wonderfully bright and fresh in its youth, this classic, dry Gewürztraminer will continue to develop richness up to fifteen years from vintage.

Rhinefarm Estate Vineyard. Estate grown, produced and bottled. Clay loam soils with gravel deposits at 70–100 feet elevation. 16 acres of Martini selection vines planted in 1969, harvested in three lots. 11 acres of clone 47 vines planted in 2005, harvested in one lot. Yield 1.4 tons/acre.

Harvest Dates: August 28 and September 1, 2008. Brix at Harvest: 25.0°. Vinification: Night-harvested by hand in four lots. One lot of grapes crushed directly to tank and cold soaked on skins for 24 hours. Remaining grapes destemmed and crushed directly to press, juice cold-settled overnight. Yeast strains QA23 and Steinberger. 100 percent stainless steel fermented to completion.

In 2008, there was more springtime frost than usual, but we were lucky enough to not be greatly affected—unlike some of our neighbors. We found ourselves enduring erratic temperatures in May, with heat spikes followed by cool weather and very little rain. June and July brought heat in combination with smoke strewn across Northern California. Luckily, our grapes were not affected by the smoke to our north. While the harvest was busy at first, mid-September brought cooler weather which slowed ripening, allowing us to catch our breath, and finish out the season calmly. The strong 2008 vintage resulted in concentrated wines, full of distinctive character.

2,450 cases