The 2009 GEWURZTRAMINER “MELISSOPETRA” is a single vineyard wine aged in stainless steel, a rare Greek gewurz. Despite looking like a sweet dessert wine in its 500ml bottle, it is dry, although not bitter and reasonably fruity. Light and quite elegant for gewurz, it is rather restrained this year, although the lychee nut nuances lurk in the background and it is quite plainly and identifiably Gewurz. Nicely constructed with a little grip and intensity on the finish, and lots of acidity, it is clean and refreshing, with fine depth and persistence, meant to be taken seriously. This is an unusual bottling for Greece, but it is generally successful and it is nice to see people outside Alsace and a couple of other places recognizing how interesting this wonderful but unusual grape is. While I think that this will hold, it will be at its best younger and fresher. It is great right now. It did flatten a bit with air, but I rather liked this a lot, and this is an impressive performance for any Greek gewurz, let alone in this vintage. Drink now-2013. Importers: VOS Selections, New York, N.Y.; tel: (212) 967-6948 and Dionysos Imports, Manassas, Va; tel: (703) 392-7073

The 2006 GEWURZTRAMINER is dry, although it comes in a 500ml bottle and looks like a dessert wine. This is packaging that may fool a lot of consumers, so take note. Gewurztraminer, one of my favorites, is a notoriously difficult grape to get right outside of Alsace. In its dry incarnations, when it can seem austere and bitter, it may even be trickier. Tselepos does a very good job here. Feel free to shock your friends by including a Greek Gewurz. It is varietally true, leaning to lychees with a little spice, relatively bright, fruity and quite tasty. I don’t think it will age terribly well, and it does not quite have the intensity and depth of great Alsace gewurz, but it does everything else quite well. Drink now-2011. Importer: VOS Selections, New York, N.Y.; tel: (212) 967-6948