91points
2021 Gewurztraminer
Tasting Notes
If wines were awarded Oscars, the Gewurztraminer would most certainly be nominated for a “Best Supporting” role. We all know those Napa Cabs, Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs love to steal the spotlight and flash their big smiles on the red carpet, but the Gewurztraminer likes to glide in and knock your socks off with an amazing performance. Unbelievable aromatics (no special effects needed), crisp acidity, and fresh flavors that linger long on your palate while the credits roll. This wine has all the star-power you’ll need.
Wine Score
91
A perfumed nose with ripe quinces, apricots and lychees as well as hints of summer flowers and savory herbs. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity, attractive ripeness and polished creamy texture. Flavorful finish. Drink now.
James Suckling
Description
Bouchaine’s 100-acre estate vineyard lies on the southern border of Napa Valley’s Carneros district, overlooking the San Francisco bay with the financial district in the distance. Fog, wind, and the cold night time temperatures of this unique geographical area lend a distinctive regional identity to our Gewurztraimer.
Growing Season
The 2021 growing season will be remembered as a winemaker’s vintage. Not too cold, not too hot, not too wet, and no frost. However, we were in the grips of a multiyear drought. While we enjoy dry farming when we have average rainfall, in vintages where the rainfall is half of average (like 2021) we do irrigate to allow for ideal shoot growth and ripening. Bouchaine is lucky to have a huge reservoir so we were able to irrigate early in the season to get our vine canopies full. Drought conditions do have some positives when it comes to winemaking as they bring us smaller berries with beautifully concentrated flavors at harvest. We also lucked out with consistent weather throughout the summer giving us ideal ripening at an even pace. A little sun, a bit of water, and a lot of hard work in the vineyard allowed us to bring in a killer 2021 vintage!
Vinification
After gentle pressing, the Gewurztraminer was placed in neutral French oak barrels for a slow, low-temperature fermentation. Once complete, the wine was aged in the same neutral barrels and malolactic fermentation was inhibited to maintain the vibrant flavors and perfumed aromas.
Tech Sheet
