WTN: Quick notes on NY Gewurz and Navarra

2007 Gewurztraminer, Standing Stone Vinyards, Finger Lakes (NY):

This has to be one of the most consistently good gewurztraminer producers in the Finger Lakes; wines are always big and quite dry. Here we have a very deeply colored white - bronze with just a hint of pink, very nice to look at. Maybe extended skin contact? Grapefuits and roses on the nose - these also appear on the palate with an oily assertive ginger spice. Big bodied (13.5% abv), rough and tumble, in your face gewurz. No mistaking this for any other grape. All those people who sing the praises of Traminette in the FL need to taste this wine. Unfortunately, a synthetic cork; $18.

2004 Senorio de Sarria, Vinedo No. 7 Graciano, Navarra:

The No. 7 is a vineyard planted with old vine Graciano - the Vinedo range showcases their single variety vineyards, e.g. No. 8 is Mazuelo, No. 9, Cabernet, etc. Probably my first pure Graciano wine, bought to accompany tapas at La Nacional in NYC. Bright carmine, with oodles of red cherry fruit (but not gobby), a bit of coal smoke and light oaking. Ripe tannins but clean and crisp with a very nice structure. Nothing too complex but worked well with the food. Can anyone recommend other readily available wines from Navarra?

Navarra? Look here...>

http://www.thewinedoctor.com/tastingsfo ... 0081.shtml

Thanks for the link Bob. Looks to be a bit of a backwater - his tasting notes aren't particularly positive. I've been told there are some nice muscat based wines made there, and since I have a soft spot for those grapes, I'll try to dig one up.

Hey, thanks for the informative TNs, Joe. I love Alsatian and Italian gewurztraminer but hate the sweet, flabby Californians. I'd like to try a good New World gewurtz and synthetic corks don't scare me because I drink this juice young. Naturally, my usual west coast sources do not stock this wine, but Standing Stone is currently offering the '07 for $16, and it's still shipping season. I kinda hate to buy a full case of something I might not like, though. Is there any other white wine from Standing Stone you can recommend? Have you tried the riesling or vidal?

Is there any other white wine from Standing Stone you can recommend? Have you tried the riesling or vidal?

I'm not Joe, but I've had previous vintages of the Riesling and they do a good job. However, I would avoid anything from 2006.

Michael:

What Howie says is correct. The riesling is quite good, but they do not make a dry verison - it tends to be about 2.5% RS but well balanced. Some people think 2006 is a better year for FL whites: you might try both vintages of the rielsing. The regular vidal is ok as an everyday white, but the vidal ice wine is very nice (made in a fridge, hence the reasonable price). Among the other wines, Pinnacle is a red Bordeaux blend that is about 75% Cab. Sauv. Normally I wouldn't recommend a NY CS, but they have a warm site and can do a good job - 2005 was a good vintage. And the 2007 reds might be worth a try, it has been hailed as a 'great' year for FL reds. As Howie warned, stay away from '06 reds, unless you get a specific recommendation.

The Colección 125 Reserva 2001 Chivite, a tempranillo-dominated blend from Navarra, is one terrifically elegant and mature red now on sale for $35 a bottle (and less) all over New Jersey, Joe - that's an amazing QPR in my book. Chivite makes a great botrytis muscat in its Colección 125 range, but it's scarce and unfortunately doesn't seem to be available in the US. I can't find any Navarra sweet muscats around other than the pleasing, simple Viña Rubicán from Bodegas Corellanas (a blend with 25% viura), at Total Wine & More in NJ. At $9.99 a half bottle, it seems like a modest risk...

OTOH, there are a number of Navarra wines around, including some well-known, cheap grenache reds like Artazu, some more expensive like El Chaparral de Vega Sindoa, plus the well-reputed grenache rosés (like Chivite's Gran Feudo) and some more serious reds among which I find a few near you, in addition to the Colección 125; particularly, Guelbenzu Evo 2004 and Seis de Azul y Garanza 2006.

I'm not Joe, and neither am I Howie, but I'll join in on the chorus in praise of Standing Stone.

I've been a fan of their Riesling for some time now. Like their Gewurz as well. They seem to be consistent and reliable, and their Riesling fares well when it is put in an international tasting panel. Holds its on in good company.

Big fan of the Standing Stone Gewurtz - as well as the Chard (awesome value) and Riesling. I'm aslo a huge proponent of FL Traminette, why should they be mutually exclusive?

Victor,

Thanks for the recommendations - I'll keep my eyes open for those. The market for Muscat based wines seems pretty poor in the US - for dry or sweet wines. Even in NYC you will be hard pressed to find a good selection of Alsace Muscat. We just finished a bottle of the cheapie 2001 Moscatel de Setubal from Bacalhoa and it really exceeded our expectations for a $10 bottle.

Thanks, all--that's what I needed to know! I'll be sipping these wines this weekend, post a TN for the riesling.