Hugel Gewurtztraminer 2000

[quijote]

Today I tried my first Gewurtztraminer ever--I opened the bottle of Hugel 2000 Gewurtz, and I was very disappointed. I didn't pick up much of any aroma, and the wine tasted slightly spicy on the palate and in the finish, but there was a rather mineral (slate or pebbles) undertone to the taste. Is this the way it's supposed to taste? Or perhaps the 2000 vintage has passed its prime? Or maybe my cold from two weeks ago closed down my sniffer?

[Innkeeper]

Your palate was accurate, but the nose was closed down. Try again when all clears up. Have been having to use Mother's sniffter myself these days.

[Thomas]

quijote, your nose may have been shut down a little, but then I have to say I have lost whatever enthusiasm I once had for Hugel Gewurztraminers. They seem to be run-of-the-mill produced these days; there is a kind of manufactured quality to their taste profile, as if they cover all the so-called Gewurztraminer bases, without being interesting. They also seem often to be out of balance toward the alcohol or "sweet" side (which might be the same problem; high alcohol can seem sweet).

The mineral undertone is not unusual for Alsace.

[quijote]

I tried going back to it tonight, but with only slight improvement. I was able to get the merest scent of lychee from the wine, and in the taste I managed to detect a rather bold ginger or ginger ale quality, but the whole Gewurtz still fell rather flat for me. So I'll go back to it in a week or so. In the meantime, I'll plan on trying Gewurtz from other places. Any suggestions for good (and easy to find) Gewurtz from outside of Alsace? Maybe something from Washington State?

[Thomas]

Most of the Gewurztraminer I have tasted from the Left Coast have been too sweet for my taste. Believe it or not, along with some producers from Alsace--Wilm--or in Baden, Germany, the Finger Lakes produces some nice ones--Prejean, Standing Stone--but you will never find them in your neck a da woods. It is a wine that truly has limited good production.

[barnesy]

Don't give up on Alsacian Gewurztraminer. One bad one doesn't represent the whole. In fact, on of the first truly wonderful wines I ever had was a 10 year old alsacian gewurtz.

Barnesy

[Bucko]

Don't judge Alsatian Gewurzt by Hugel! I never buy their stuff anymore.

For a dandy experience, get your hands on a Weinbach, Boxler, Trimbach, or Schoffit. These are regular buys for me.

[Thomas]

I second the Weinbach and Boxler--with a weak second on the Trimbach, unless it's the black label.

Never saw nor had the Schoffit--want my mailing address Bucko?

[Bucko]

Got it -- the foil pouch is on its way!

[quijote]

I tried the Hugel Gewurz again last night, and got more out of it, but the bottle had been in the fridge for a few days, so I guess I really shouldn't go by the experience.

I picked up more ginger and lychee on the nose, but the aromas were very slight. The wine tasted of ginger and pear, with a slight hint of green apple. The mineral taste from last week was very much subdued though still present.

Today I'm going to look for one of the others recommended here. I'm not giving up on Alsace yet!

[quijote]

Unfortunately, my search for a different Gewurz didn't get me anywhere. The only other kind I was able to find was a Trimbach, and the recs on that were mixed. Ordinarily, I would just buy a bottle and try, but at $17 or so a pop, and with Trimbach very much in supply in the shops around here, I decided to hold off for a while. Oh well.