Produced from equal percentages Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and Pinot Noir harvested at 22 hectoliters per hectare, the 2000 Gruenspiel has an unyielding nose. This is a dense, concentrated wine with white chocolate, smoky pears, and spices forming its personality. It has an enormously appealing velvety-texture, a complex character, and a long, expressive finish. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2012. According to Deiss, "2000 was a vintage of great weather, yet one that carries with it problems of balance, like all great vintages. Some will consider these wines as too rich and having too much alcohol or residual sugar." He added that "2001 presented us with climatic chaos but the end result is as great as 2000." Deiss, a bio-dynamic farmer, stressed that he never chaptalizes his wines, including the reds.Importer: New Castle Imports, Inc., Myrtle Beach, SC; tel. (843) 448-9463

Hints of petrol on the nose open in this rich, intense wine, which has layers of smoky aromas over flavors of ripe lychees and smooth tannins. The finish seems to last forever. Imported by Lauber Imports. ——R.V.(4/1/2005)—— 90