Steven Beishuizen

9.1

I bought this one at a liquor store that really trends to the cheap and cheerful... But, it was worth the pickup... A really dark, opaque color in the presentation... On the nose, this was blackberry, raspberry, cranberry, and bramble... On the palate, my first thought was pickled, green strawberries... Green pepper... But don't sleep on that cran-raspberry... There is fruit, it's just not the initial blast... The structure feels precise and clean. Graphite. Pretty tight tannin here though I'm not sure aging would be the choice here. Just drink now I think. The elevated acidity played very well with the beef stew I prepared especially with the parsnips oddly. To me, the finish again came back to the green notes with a medium length. Maybe I buy this again or maybe I don't, but this is the kind of wine that would be fun to dial in against a number of dishes... That parsnips pair would be interesting to explore... Not for everyone, but interesting. — 24 days ago

Steven Beishuizen

8.8

Interesting one... On the nose, this is soft pear, lychee, pineapple... On the palate, this is more of that soft pear, cantaloupe, coconut, and some faint pool chlorine... Medium body... Crisp citrus, lime I think... Finishes with at least a medium length. — 3 months ago

with Anita

Steven Beishuizen

8.9

On the nose, this is bright cherry and alcohol... On the palate, the cherry is very pronounced... Kirsch... Some earthiness, but the acid here remains jovial. Medium, precise tannin. Medium bodied with the alcohol quite pronounced. Very uplifting. — 7 months ago

with Anita

Steven Beishuizen

9.1

On the nose, this is mineral, lime, and a twinge of pear. On the palate, any hint of pear has gone away... Mineral for sure... Lime sage. This one's a bit past medium acidity. This one's alive and of course includes the unique Orin Swift label which shouldn't be ignored here. A solid offering. Length here too. Back to the lime and sage. Having trouble picking out much else beyond sage, mineral, and lim which affects the score, but truly enjoyable. — 2 months ago

with Anita

Steven Beishuizen

9.4

2007 vintage. Tasting 17+ years later... On the nose, this is blackberry syrup and black cherry flesh... On the palate, there is an acidic wispiness of cherry much like the kirschiness of cherry pits soaked in vodka... A big body here though as this plays above a powerful leatheriness that extends well through the long finish. Tannins still have something to say. Grippy. I haven't had this vintage in a few years and it will be interesting to see whether the amazing-in-youth '08 also carries this well into its elder years. This '07 was a very nice treat so many years on. — 3 months ago

with Anita

Steven Beishuizen

8.9

We've stopped in at this winery several times over the years, and going through the tastings here to us have felt hit or miss... That sounds bad, but I actually love that... Wineries that put out consistent but mundane wines lack soul in my opinion... Anyway, back to the wine at hand... The color here seems deeper and more amber than the average gewurtz... On the nose, this feels like cantaloupe, ripe peach and mineral... Is this an "orange nose"? On the palate, that stone fruit comes to life, but I'm still leaning cantaloupe here... Sage... Minerality to be sure... There's a suggestion of sweetness here that makes me wonder if in fact this is off-dry... I'm not getting as many herbal notes as is typical of gewurtz, but that sage again stands out. A dry herb feel. Why am I thinking about those peaches that have a donut shape? Medium body with less than medium acidity. I don't know what I would pair food-wise here... Is it sweet? Is it dry? A pairing is complicated... Maybe just go with a glass of wine all by itself in an Adirondack chair in the garden... The length of the finish is long almost reminiscent of Dr. McGillicuddy's peach schnapps but with a sweetness like a Bellini from Milestones back in the day. Yes. This is a Bellini finish. I actually do enjoy it. — 7 months ago

with Anita

Steven Beishuizen

8.9

On the nose, this is cranberry and faint raspberry... Wintertime cocoa? On the palate, this is back to the fruit... Red plum, cranberry... A medium body... The acidity is past medium. Juicy. Tannins very present but unfocused. Medium length of red plum skins. — 2 months ago

with Anita

Steven Beishuizen

8.9

On the nose, this is subtle cranberry... On the palate, it's cranberry, cherry, red plum... Dense tannin here but no sharp edges... A tinge on graphite here too, but in the distance... The whole package seems soft... Not so complex overall. Medium-long length on the finish. Nice. — 3 months ago

with Anita

Steven Beishuizen

8.8

On the nose, this is mineral and faint mandarin orange peel. Slightly off dry... Medium body. Not too acidic here... Citrus really throughout esp orange. — 7 months ago

with Mike

Steven Beishuizen

9.0

On the nose, this is frozen raspberry... On the palate, this tastes darker... Blackberry, cranberry... Tree bark, cedar, sawdust... Eucalyptus... Very mushy wood... Pretty big body here though... And the tannins are really contributing to that... Soft, chewy... Medium length with baking spice. — 7 months ago

with Anita