This medium straw sure smells like gewurz, all peachy and litchi and stuff, but it tastes more like Sauvignon vino Gewurztraminer ChileBlanc at first, according to Cousin Larry Meehan; medium to medium full bodied, tart and crisp, with under-ripe fruit; however, it opens quickly with only a few more sips to reveal the floral peach and litchi that are so characteristic of the varietal and a subtle fruit (not sugar) sweetness, with good intensity and some mineral underneath. There’s nothing delicate about this wine, indeed, it’s quite assertive, and the more I sip, the more I like.

Fruit sourced from the El Marco Estate (Casablanaca Valley), planted in 1997; sandy soil with clay and low water retention. Vertical trellis, drip irrigation and integrated vineyard management including geese and INIA bands for pest control. Cordon pruning with 2 bud spurs every 10 cms., 35% leaf removal. Harvested April 10th, hand picked, with yields of 2.83 tons/acre. Vinification: 100% destemmed, stainless steel, 100% cold maceration; aged in stainless steel.