Michigan Peninsula Riesling and Gewurztraminer

[wondersofwine]

At MoCool I went to a tasting where we sampled older German auslese wines and also wines from Peninsula Cellars and Chateau Grand Traverse, both wineries in Michigan.
My favorite of the Michigan wines was the Peninsula Cellars 2002 semi-dry Riesling. It was named best white wine at the San Francisco International Competition and best Riesling in Eastern United States in a Vineyard Management magazine. The nose was very (read as if underlined or in bold print) fragrant. White peaches came across in the nose and flavor. Retails for $13.50 to $20 (not sure why the broad range). The 2002 Chateau Grand Traverse Johanisberg Riesling came across as rather austere in comparison. This winery also makes a Late Harvest Riesling. Later we had the Peninsula Cellars 2002 Gewurztraminer, Manigold Vineyard. It was a dry white with the spicy nose I look for in this varietal (a suggestion of sage?) I liked it quite well and some of the party favored it over the Rieslings. (I would put the Peninsula Cellars 2002 semi-dry Riesling ahead of the Gewurz.) Of the German Auslese wines we sampled, my favorites were the 1976 Urziger Wurzgarten Auslese (spiced peaches flavor) and the 1975 Wehlenuhr Sonnenuhr Auslese (both from Christoffel Erben). Also really liked the "mystery wine" which was a 2001 Vollenweider Nacktarsch (you translate)Spatlese blend from three vineyards. It was very nicely balanced with a pure flavor profile. Daniel Vollenweider is a Swiss-born winemaker producing some excellent wines in Germany.