A serious Gewürztraminer this evokes toasted bri- oche cinnamon vanilla and lychee flavors. Almost dry this is well-balanced and creamy with mineral and white pepper accents emerging at the end. The aftertaste is salty. Drink now through 2015.-B.S.

From lower sections of the Altenbourg and neighboring parcels the 2005 Gewurztraminer Cuvee Laurence exudes roses bacon fat and honey slathers the palate in creamy but refreshingly juicy honey- and spice-drenched peaches and litchis and seduces the next sip irresistibly with its long lush finish. This wine is unlikely to tire (nor you of it) for at least a dozen more years during which some of its significant though already well-integrated sweetness will back off a bit. The dynamic trio of Fallers continues to bottle some of France's (hardly just Alsace's) richest and most flamboyant wines. Beginning with 2005 all of their vineyards are being biodynamically farmed. Laurence Faller finds their 2005s in general "more focused and clear" (this was especially true of Riesling) despite their often prominent botrytis component and the 2004s richer. I suppose it goes without saying but one has to carefully scrutinize each Weinbach label so numerous are the cuvees. And as wonderful as is the distinctiveness exhibited by the vast majority of wines here even a geek like yours truly could be forgiven for asking whether somewhat fewer different bottlings might benefit consumers as well as journalists!