The 2005 Gewurztraminer Hengst smells of rose petal brown spices and hints of celery seed. Silken in texture rich spicy and meaty in the mouth it nevertheless displays underlying chalky stony notes that seem generally to reflect this site and finishes with formidable intensity no heat and just hint of sweetness. Here is the juiciness and refreshment that keep high alcohol Gewurztraminer from fatiguing. This should improve nicely for at least 6-8 years. (No Hengst bottling of Gewurztraminer was essayed from 2004.) -David Schildknecht