Wine time: Lazy Creek Vineyards Anderson Valley ’14 Gewurztraminer

The 2014 Lazy Creek Vineyards Gewürztraminer from Anderson Valley is one of the oldest produced Gewürztraminer’s in Anderson Valley and is a tasty palette pleaser.

This Gewürztraminer is estate grown and brings back memories for wine geeks who followed the story of Hans and Theresia Kolber, the former owners of Lazy Creek Vineyards who planted Gewürztraminer and Pinot Noir vines that the couple carried over in a suitcase from their native Switzerland.

Today Lazy Creek is owned by the Carano family, however, this wine remains true to Kolber’s wine wishes.

While we can’t sneak over vines from Europe in our suitcases anymore, this Alsatian-style Gewürz is  consistent with previous vintages and will make you crave trip to the French-Swiss border.

It is a nice, dry white wine. The nose is light with honeysuckle and lemon blossom. Honeysuckle continues into the mouth, with honey venturing into the palette late, followed by a nice pinch of ginger and white pepper.

Despite longings for the Alsace region, our tasting panel (I had to call in the troops due to my allergies) paired the 2014 Lazy Creek Vineyards Gewürztraminer with Szechuan Chinese take-out from Sonoma’s Shanghai Restaurant, which specializes in the spicy hot Chinese cuisine.

The wine lent itself perfectly to the spicy meat and pork dishes. It’s also a great patio pounder for those seeking a less citrus or grass-like option from Sauvignon Blanc.

The 2014 Lazy Creek Vineyards Gewürztraminer retails for $22. lazycreekvineyards.com