The 2008 GEWUR7ZTRAMINER RESERVE “LATE HARVEST CLUSTER SELECT” comes in at just 9% alcohol. Fairly dark in color, it seems simply delicious on opening, unctuous, sweet and succulent. It has a sugary finish and some spicy notes, although it doesn’t seem all that gewurz-y due to the sugary overlay. If it opens seeming rather lush and rich, though, it does flatten fairly fast with air and warmth, showing that its mid-palate was not quite as concentrated as it seemed in the initial, rich rush of fruit and sugar on opening. Laced with mango and apricot notes, with some botrytis notes, this remains entirely delicious and hard to resist. It is a very good effort by Binyamina. Winemaker Assaf Paz trained at Navarro, so it is not exactly surprising to see him be involved in a wine like this. I suspect it will show best in the shorter term for best results, however long it holds, as that first rush of fruit is its most appealing demeanor. It drank best in the low to mid-50s, becoming less interesting as it warmed. Drink now-2014. Binyamina is one of Israel’s larger and older wine producers. The Chosen brand wines reviewed this issue are denominated with the gemstones chosen (onyx, diamond, sapphire, etc.), according to the winery, for the "breastplate of the High Priest during the time of the Second Temple.” The 2007 releases are nicely done as a group. Note: Although Binyamina does have a USA importer, all releases do not always appear and not always at the same time, necessarily, in our marketplace. As of this writing, it is not clear, for instance, if the late harvest gewurztraminer will be imported, and the 2006 releases in some labels were still current in this marketplace with ‘07s not yet available.Importer: Royal Wine Corp., Bayonne, N.J.; tel: (718) 534-0118.