Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars

Riesling rules the Finger Lakes, but it isn't the only show in town. Think about the wines of Alsace when you think of central New York, and other whites like Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer come to mind. Pinot Gris is a wine for another day though. Today we're focusing on Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars' 2006 Gewurztraminer, a spicy white from one of the regions best-respected producers.

Sometimes Gewurztraminer can be over the top in its floral quality - to the point that it tastes more like perfume than wine. Not so with this terrific bottling. The nose has faint rose petal and lychee notes, but it's the honeydew melon, ginger, and blood oranges that demand the most attention here. Medium-to-full bodied and dry, the flavors are similar with loads of melon and ginger with rose petals in the background. At 13.9 percent alcohol, this is a hefty wine for the region, but it's not heavy or disjointed. A terrific wine when you're tired of drinking Finger Lakes Riesling.

Reviewed October 4, 2007 by Lenn Thompson.