Dry Gewürztraminer Varietal/Style: Gewürztraminer Origin: Central Coast Vintage: 1998 Winemaker: Claiborne Thompson Rating: 14/20 Retail Price: $12

Tasting Notes: The winery's flagship, this Dry Gewürztraminer is one of the most food-friendly Californian whites we've found. With .03% residual sugar, a tinge of sweetness makes the flavors more approachable to the American palate than a traditional Alsatian style. Try this well-balanced wine with Asian spice, German sausage, Cajun cooking or let it stand alone. At $12 a bottle, this is a bargain to be enjoyed any way it can! (Date tasted: 03/03/00)

Brut Rosé Varietal/Style: Sparkling Origin: Central Coast Vintage: 1998 Winemaker: Claiborne Thompson Rating: 11/20 Retail Price: $24

Tasting Notes: One of the most unique sparkling wines we've ever encountered, this Rosé blended from Dry Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Muscat and Syrah. The Syrah adds an attractive salmon hue, while Muscat brings floral sweetness. The winery's first attempt at sparkling wine, we feel this unusual blend, although a bit pricey at $24, makes a perfect party aperitif. (Date tasted: 03/03/2000)

Profile: Here is one of those rare, American wineries built from scratch out of a genuine love for wine. Husband and wife team Clay Thompson and Fredricka Churchill began their careers in academia, (Thompson was considered the world's foremost authority on ancient Scandinavian language in the early 1980s), who traded in ivy walls for trellised fields. With the desire to fill a tiny niche in the American wine market, the couple founded a winery producing quality, Alsatian-style wines from Central Coast fruit. Their dedication has paid off and today the winery is recognized for producing some of the finest Rieslings and Gewürztraminer in California.

Address
2649 Carpenter Canyon Road
City: San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 USA
Phone: (805) 544-4066
Web site: www.claibornechurchill.com
E-mail: ccinfo@fix.net

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