Not produced every year, Vinoptima’s Noble Late Harvest Gewurztraminer was last produced in 2004. It is made from 100% noble rot infected Gewurztraminer. Deep gold in color, the 2007 Noble Late Harvest Gewurztraminer has intense sultana, fig and apricot aromas on the nose with a touch of dates and dried mulberries plus preserved mandarin peel. Very crisp, rich, big and unctuous in the mouth, this is a complex and layered wine. There’s a pleasant muskiness that comes through on the palate along with a savory character, though this wine is very sweet (207 grams per liter of residual sugar). The finish is incredibly long. It’s gorgeous now; it should continue to be gorgeous in 10-12 years time. 5000 half bottles were produced. Nick Nobilo moved to Gisborne back when it was the bread basket of New Zealand wine and when Muller Thurgau was the popular variety. In the mid 1970s Nick convinced a grower to plant some Gewurztraminer. They selected out about 50 successful vines for growing. The early wines were very promising so this got Nick thinking that Gisborne was a great terroir for this grape. In 2000, Nick bought 10 hectares of vineyard land for himself in Ormond, Gisborne and went back to those old Gewurztraminer vines that had been isolated, using them to plant his vineyard. He now owns 2 five hectare blocks devoted to Gewurztraminer with no intention to expand. His wines are 100% grown, made and bottled on the estate. All the wines are bottle aged for at least 3 years prior to release. Nick claims that the backbone of his Gewurztraminer is phenolics, extracted under cold maceration for up to 18 hours. “These are wines made to age,” Nick informed me. “You must allow time for the integration of the phenolics.” The final sweetness range for his Gewurztraminer is 13-20 grams per liter of residual sugar. He currently produces 30-40,000 bottles each year. I have to confess that I’m not a huge fan of Gewurztraminer but I love these wines. The style is incredibly food friendly for a vast range of dishes -- fishes, light meats and it can also take a fair bit of spice. If you happen upon a bottle, you must give it a try! What’s more, this wine ages incredibly well. I sampled vintages all the way back to the first 2003. The bottle was evolving beautifully, just stunning, though there’s no rush to drink it. Importer: Folio Fine Wine Partners, Napa, CA; (707) 256-2700

The extraordinary 2004 Gewurztraminer Noble Late Harvest is a legend in the making. Produced from six rows which Nick Nobilo left on until June, when the vines had shed their leaves, coming in at 12.8% alcohol and 117 grams residual sugar. A limpid golden color. A seductive nose of honey, fig, a touch of marmalade: more Sauternes than Alsatian in style. A viscous palate, very good acidity, a lovely melange of orange zest, honey and figs. Very harmonious, a really outstanding botrytis-affected wine that would compare with the very best Sauternes could offer! Exceptional. Having steered his family company to one of New Zealand’s successful producers, Nick Nobilo could have enjoyed a peaceful retirement after the company was sold to BRL Hardy. But instead he has dedicated his life to producing New Zealand’s finest Gewurztraminer from his 9.7-hectare estate in Gisborne, split into two blocks, the first planted in 2000 and the second in 2007 using budwood that Nick had been propagating for over 25 years. The winery is so clean you could eat your breakfast off it, the 1,200L oak German oval foudres playing a key role in extracting the best out of this aromatic grape. The good news is that Nick is well on his way to achieving his dream because this was a stunning expression of Gewurztraminer, the wine adopting an Alsatian style rather than anything from the New World. Importer: Folio Fine Wine Partners, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 256-2700; fax (707) 256-2701