Estate 'Deadman's Hill' Gewurztraminer 2018

A pioneer with this variety, the estate has really lifted its game. Once, aromatics were too often sacrificed for ill-conceived attempts to retain freshness. The result may have been higher acidity, but the phenolics were ropy and the exuberance of this most-exuberant variety, lost. Not any more. A resinous yellow segues to punchy notes of rose water, lychee and orange blossom. Ginger, even. Dutifully fresh, but more importantly, texturally detailed with sound use of oak. Long and eminently satisfying. Among the national benchmarks. - Ned Goodwin