88+ 2005 Helfrich Steinklotz Gewurztraminer 5/8/09 ($20)
13% alc
Color: Medium yellow straw to gold. Deeper than the Riesling. (3.0) Bouquet: Pungent essence of red roses with pollen and light honey. Very distinctive and interesting. (3.0) Body: Solid middleweight plus that coats the mouth more than the Riesling. Off-dry. (3.0) Flavor: Parallels bouquet, but more brash and not as interesting. (2.5) Finish: Flowers linger with some honey for 30 seconds. (2.5)
Overall: This is all about pungent flowers. Think of a room full of red roses with light honey thrown in. Has some sweetness, but a tart minerality balances it out. It has quite a bit of weight and is not particularly elegant, but not overdone either. Should improve with a few years of bottle age. Distinctive stuff that is not for everybody, but the nuances keep bringing me back for a another sip. (14.0)