Gewüztraminer Andreas Vineyard 2015, Biggio-Hamina

Another top bunny wine from Toddy Hamina

Gewüztraminer Andreas Vineyard 2015, Biggio-Hamina Cellars
If I had not read the grape variety on the label I would have swore blind from the nose it was a Muscat rosé a petite grains wine! It smells so deliciously fresh and grapey - none of that strange Gewüztraminer ‘spice’ just fruit and flowers exhibiting themselves with wanton libidinousness. It simply smells a thousand times more delectable than the most sophisticated date you can imagine.

I fully believe Toddy’s claimed 13% alcohol stated on the label. This a parsec away from the disgusting 16% monsters that swine like Zind-Humbrecht produce. And their wines are not such a pretty colour! I say “Pooh!” to you, Olivier Humbrecht, “Pooh to you with knobs on!”

Ok, I am not going to claim that this is the most wildly complex and profound wine to have passed under the Elitistreview set of noses, but it smells wonderfully delicious, totally harmonious and I think there is a shade of complexity to keep the analytical parts of your brain working whilst you mentally undress the nose of this wine.

The palate has the same Muscatty fruit, but it is not as voluptuously intense as it is on the nose. That does not deminish its charm.

What I must admit to being surprised by a little is the astringency of the palate. Ok, it is not Chateau Pradeaux 2001, but it is distinctly tannic. Rather appealingly tannic given its good fruit level.

And, praise be, I have tasted a Gewüztraminer with an adequate level of acidity! Shocking for a Gewüztraminer not to be a blowsy, dumpy, petulant schoolgirl, eh?

With the acidity and tannin this palate has a good structure to support the perfumed fruit and it makes for an engagingly refreshing drinking experience.

I can see that not everyone would enjoy a pink, tannic, acidic, harmoniously alcoholic, Muscat-scented Gewüztraminer, but they would be wrong; this is a very good wine by any measure.

If I had a bottle left I would keep it for that brilliant masculine moveable feast ‘Nipple day’. This is the first day of the year when young ladies find it warm enough not to wear a bra, whilst it still being cold enough for observant men to register said ladies are not wearing a bra. Such a brilliant holiday screams for quality wine and I think this would suit most pertly.

Thank you and good morning,
Davy.

omg, I’m afraid nobody else will be willing to post tasting notes while Davy’s back, showing us all how it’s done.

Nipple day…pertly…top bunny.

Davy wins, period.

We always tell our customers we keep the store at or below 60 degrees year round for the wine, but it’s so we can celebrate this wonderful holiday 5 months out of the year.

Great note as always. The Pacific Northwest makes more than a few like this, but they tend to be in small quantities. Labor of love.

I’ve still got one Biggio-Hamina wine left to try : Caroline Pinot Noir 2012. I will be drinking that, along with an awful lot of other wines (I am promised C19 Madeira!), on the day before I go into hospital to have my arm operated on. Hooray for wine! Hooray for cubital tunnel syndrome being fixed!

Soupy Twist,
Davy.

If I even thought about writing Nipple Day (which does need a code name) women I work with would have a kicking-me in-the-nutsack parade.

That is the Best TN I have read in all of 2016…Perfect for Todd’s great wines!

I truly hope I will be muttering,“pooh to you Olivier Zind-Humbrecht. Pooh to you with knobs on” in my sleep tonight. I will certainly be quoting it the rest of the week. Well done!

‘Pooh to you with knobs on’ is probably the best statement uttered/written on WB ever.

Thank you all for your kind words. Glenn, what is the problem? Men look at women! I have a male partner and I look at women! It’s just a statement of fact.

Frankly, given half a chance I would fling poo at Olivier Humbrecht as he entered and left his office. But I will have to limit myself to the statement “Pooh to you with knobs on!”. I cannot stand his wines, they are over-blown filth. My view of the man himself is only to be shared between me, him and some poo.

Anon,
Davy.

The problem in America is that a male even looking at a female now spans somewhere from micro-aggression to uber-creepy, unless you look like a male model - that seems to still be AOK.

I imagine that old O’Kaysion’s song “I’m a girl watcher” has been censored by now.

You should move to France, staring at people on public transport is the done thing! Move to France… hmmmm… on second thoughts, that’s an awful idea…

I imagine women could have their own version of nipple day, especially with people who have moobs like mine…

They call it Moose Knuckle Day.

When I wear jeans, they call it “Sticky Fingers” Day, and when I walk past, horses and donkeys genuflect.

Thanks for yet another splendid write up Davy. We are doing a wine dinner tonight in West Palm Beach, FLA and are going to unleash the pink gew on them. Cheers!

Do report on their views! It’s a good wine, obviously, but quite unconventional. It would be interesting to know what the wisdom of crowds is.

Cheers for the wine Todd, as with all yours it was a joy to taste. Caroline goes under the potential agent’s noise on the 14th!

Anon,
Davy.

Davy beat me to it and did a much better write up than I could. A well balanced wine that is not going to be every rose swiller’s cup of tea. It’s just a bit odd (kind of like Todd), but an excellent companion. It makes you want to slow down and really consider it.

Need to buy more (as soon as I find a place to stash it).

Props to Davy for the TN. Great stuff. But also, Todd is a friggin’ genius for sending the wine to Davy; it’s like when Scorsese had the foresight to cast Al Pacino as Michael in the Godfather.

They were in heaven with the pink gew. Good times.

Smiling while reading every word Davy. Hope you’re well. The wine world needs your writing.

Hooray! Pleased to hear it, it’s good stuff!

D.

Thank you everyone who has said nice things about my note - I am extremely flattered! I just try to communicate my enthusiasm for wines I like and all your kind words suggest that I’ve succeeded!

D.