You'll like this gewurz even if it's your first

Jekel Gewurztraminer (2005)
Origin: California (Monterey County)
Price: $7

I'm just gonna lay it out there ... I'm not a gewurztraminer person. Maybe I've just had some bad ones in my time. But Jekel changed my mind about the varietal altogether.

In the past I've sampled gewurztraminers that are too sweet and that finish with a rough bite. That's a combination that I just don't care for. But with this one I was instantly surprised by its rich, silky texture.

I'd consider this an off-dry wine that is not overly sweet. It has a light perfumey nose -- think honeysuckle. There's plenty of juicy orange and tangerine citrus flavors, along with some peach. All of that is warmed up with a bit of clove and cinnamon spice.

As with riesling, gewurztraminer's slight sweetness is the perfect antidote to spicy Asian food, especially Thai. Also, don't hesitate to serve this wine on Turkey Day. It'll go especially well with anything that has a bit of spice -- pumpkin pie, sweet potatoes, etc.