2020 Vista Verde Vineyard Late Harvest Gewürztraminer

92 / Connoisseurs’ Guide

A very sweet, late-picked, dessert version of Gewürztraminer, this wine is uncannily lithe and well-balanced for one that boasts 18.1% residual sugar, and, its ample sweetness notwithstanding, the floral and slightly spicy specifics of its variety are impossible to miss. It sports notes of vanilla as well as a complexing touch of oaky sweetness that come by way of its fermentation in new French oak barrels, but its enduring message is one of concentrated, honeyed, slightly tropical fruit. While a hedonistic conclusion to memorable meals right now, it promises to age effortlessly and is certain to hold without risk of flattening or fading for another five to ten years.