Gewürztraminer
TL; DR
The world's most aromatic, floral and flamboyant white grape — somewhat like a fancy and more sophisticated version of Moscato.
So, what is Gewürztraminer all about?--red
Gewürztraminer (essentially "the spicy Traminer") is a full-throttle white variety that is capable of producing wines that have aromatic complexity without peer. Filled with fruit, flowers and spices, it is a hedonistic wine best known for lower levels of acidity, a luscious round body and a prevalence of sweetness. So don't worry, it's much easier to enjoy than its hard-to-pronounce name suggests.
Where dis Gewürztraminer originate?--aromatic
Alsace, France is the spiritual home of Gewürztraminer, but modern research actually indicates that its true origins rest elsewhere. Though the grape's parentage is hard to trace, DNA testing discovered that Gewürtztraminer is the offspring of the ancient Savagnin-Traminer group of grape varieties, which is thought to have originated in southwest Germany. Sneaky grape!
Where's the best Gewürztraminer from?--racy
Alsace in France is the home base for this grape with the best coming from the highly esteemed "Alsace Grand Cru". It's also found in closely neighbouring vineyards in Germany as well as the higher altitude slopes of Trentino-Alto Adige in northern Italy.
More plantings can be found around the world, particularly in regions with cooler climates such as Washington and Oregon (USA), New Zealand, and Canada. In fact, Canada is home to the largest single vineyard of Gewurztraminer! These vines can be found in rows perched up in a cool, high elevation site in the Okanagan Falls DVA of British Columbia.
A cooler climate allows for more acid retention in ripening, which means a fresher tasting finished wine — especially considering Gewürt's inherently lower acidity to begin with. No one wants a flabby flat wine that is lacking acidity, especially when it comes to a grape type that bursts with so many exciting and exotic flavours! So cooler climates reliably showcase the grape in its best form.
What does Gewürztraminer taste like?--aromatic
Like an excessive dose of fancy perfume that walks through a room and can't go unnoticed — for better or worse — Gewürztraminer is super generous in every way. This rare white makes wines that are entrancing, spicy and floral. You barely need to tuck your nose into the glass before smelling a flower shop in full bloom! In addition to florals, look for tropical fruits like lychee, mango, tangerine and pineapple. Also quite common are notes of honey, rosewater, ginger and allspice! It can range from dry to lusciously sweet, but most often with a kiss of sweetness on a soft, yet spicy round palate.
What are the main styles of Gewürztraminer?--cellar
There's a real sliding scale of style when it comes to Gewürztraminer, and most of that comes down to its sweetness level. From dry, off-dry, sweet to even lusciously sweet dessert wines made from late harvest grapes this grape can really do it all!
If you tend to have a sweet tooth, look for late-harvest examples (which sometimes may be labelled Vendages Tardives, or "VT") or and botrytis affected dessert wines (which may carry the french term Sélection de Grains Nobles, or "SGN" on the label.)
It's also worth noting that New World examples are often less flamboyant than Alsatian and German counterparts, often showing more citrus and peach and fewer tropical notes. You're also more likely to see a wider range of dryer styles available, though the off-dry and sweet Alsacian styles are still considered to be a hallmark expression of the grape.
What foods pair with Gewürztraminer?--plum
The fruity sweetness and natural spiciness of Gewürztraminer lend it wonderfully to some other times hard to pair with cuisines like chilli heat (the hint of sweetness can help to tame the chilli wonderfully), tangy sauerkraut and even the stinkiest of cheeses!
Thanks to its natural spicy flavours, this wine will also shine with all kinds of Asian cuisine which use ginger, basil or Szechuan as a primary flavour. Keep it fresh and try it with a crunchy wonton and tangerine chicken salad too!
Spice, not your thing? Gewürztraminer is also a wonderful match with traditional rustic German plates of roast pork, schnitzel, sausages and smoked meat.
Recipes to pair with Gewürztraminer--red
Vietnamese Pork Ribs
Bratwurst, Cabbage, and Caraway
Pork, Ginger, and Honey Stirfry
Vegan Pad Thai
Sausage Larb
Fun fact--earth
Despite the amazing flavours Gewürztraminer can produce, its alcohol and sweetness can put people off. It's a little sad that the world's most expressive grape doesn't always get a chance to express itself!