2014 Dry River Lovat Gewurztraminer, Martinborough

This is a truly gorgeous Gewürztraminer with wonderful concentration and peacock’s tail-like display of subtle flavours on its incredibly lengthy finish. It’s a heady mix of floral, spice and exotic fruit characters which promises to get even more exciting with bottle age. This wine supports my long-held belief Gewürztraminer is Dry River’s most outstanding wine. 20 Apr 2015

98 points Bob Campbell MW therealreview.com #1 of 51 2014 Gewürztraminer from New Zealand

Dry River’s Lovat Gewürztraminer from Martinborough is a wine that refuses to whisper. It’s exotic, flamboyant, and unashamedly full throttle—just as winemaker Wilco Lam likes it. This is not your average Gewürztraminer; it’s a high-wire act between hedonistic opulence and cool-climate finesse, built from vines first planted in the mid-‘80s on the Lovat Vineyard, a site blessed with deep alluvial gravels and river terrace soils. This terroir—dry, low-vigour, and tough on the vines—produces fruit that’s as concentrated as it is characterful.

On the nose, it’s a sensory riot: lychee, rose petal, Turkish delight, candied ginger and orange oil come tumbling out of the glass like a bazaar in Marrakesh. The palate is equally intense—unctuous and mouth-coating, with ripe tropical fruit and spice, but always reined in by a gentle phenolic grip and a fine thread of acidity. There’s a quiet savoury note too—think almond skin and crushed herbs—that gives structure and sophistication beneath the perfume.

Winemaker Wilco Lam handles it like a red—wild ferments, skin contact, texture galore. The result? A full-bodied, oil-slicked Gewürztraminer with serious presence and ageing potential. There’s a savoury line of almond skin and soft grip that reins in the lushness, making this as structured as it is flamboyant.

Pair it with duck pancakes, spicy pork larb, or even a North African lamb tagine. Got a soft cheese or rich terrine on hand? Even better. And if you can wait, cellar it for 5–10 years: this beauty evolves into something honeyed, spicy and truly profound.