This variety is not as well known as it should be in some circles, and much too heavily depended upon in others. It ripens early and bears copiously--so copiously (and therefore diluted) that it can be accused of soiling its own name (at the hands of unscrupulous growers, of course) in the manner of Carignan.

Growers in Germany give this wine more consideration than many Alsace producers, which is a shame, but not entirely surprising, as the Grand Cru system in Alsace favors Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris and Muscat. Sylvaner usually takes the unhallowed role locally of carafe wine, and in that guise it is pleasant enough. In the Rheinland, especially Rheinhessen and the Pfalz, it is something altogether different and more successful, but that seems to be the doing of the vineyard managers and cellar masters to the east of Alsace. There are some estates in Alsace that clearly treat the grape with some reverence, and these are the ones typically available outside of France.

Common Qualities of Sylvaner
Sylvaner has a relatively neutral aroma of lemon and occasionally granite after it has rained. Occasionally the scent reminds me of Muscadet, especially when it has some unabsorbed CO2 (which usually remains if bottled unfiltered). Sylvaner is usually attractively priced, has lots of zing, and is best drunk young, though I have known it age well when made in an austere style. I still have some Albert Boxler Sylvaner from 1998 that is still vibrant and minerally, despite losing its carbonic gas over the past decade. Its flavors are often indistinct but quite refreshing (if made with care), and it is easy to drink. When it is over-cropped, it is diluted and insipid, and some growers try to make up for this by picking before the grapes are ripe so that the acidity takes the place of flavor, but this rather unappealing flavor is not lost on most drinkers.

Grand Cru Sylvaner?
Yes, there is a Grand Cru Sylvaner--found only the the Bas-Rhin vineyard of Zotzenberg. Zotzenberg has historical fame for great Sylvaner, but until 2006, only Gewürztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Gris, and Riesling were entitled to Grand Cru status. Growers continued to grow Sylvaner in Zotzenberg anyway, and eventually wiser thinking prevailed within the bureaucracy and Sylvaner was added for this vineyard alone. I gather this means that we will also see Vendange Tardive and Sélection de Grains Nobles Sylvaner from Zotzenberg, and some may have been made, but I have not yet seen any, and would love to know if and when it happens.

Even before its station improved, Sylvaner grown in Zotzenberg carried a bit of residual sugar, but alcohol levels were also routinely over 10%, so these wines have a history of being power-oriented (for Sylvaner). This is uncharacteristic for Alsatian Sylvaner as a whole, but is a welcome representative of what the grape is capable of producing when grown on a great site.

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An introduction to Maison Trimbach by Anne Trimbach, of the family's 13th generation.

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This 15ha Grand Cru is a fairly steep, isolated hill of limestone that can give one the impression of walking a vineyard in Provence, not Alsace. This is because Florimont is one of two Crus in Alsace (the other being Zinnkoepflé) that captures the kind of robust warmth needed to support Mediterranean flora, hence the name 'Florimont'--hill of flowers.

A (Relatively) New Grand Cru
Attached to the village of Ingersheim, Florimont was delimited as a Grand Cru in 1988, along with Bruderthal, as the last Grands Crus until Kaefferkopf was elevated in 2006. Florimont is still unknown internationally, despite being a distinguished source of wines for those who know about it. This is in part because of the fairly recent Grand Cru recognition, but also because there are only a few producers who make wines from the Cru, therefore, market representation (even locally) of Florimont is not good. The wines, as should be the case for any Grand Cru (though it is not always the true: how--HOW?--can the Grand Cru Schlossberg be ENTIRELY of such high quality when it covers almost 198 acres?), radiate the sort of power and mystery that only a first rate vineyard can provide.

Grape Varieties in Use in Florimont
Gewürztraminer is considered the prime variety for the vineyard, and so is the most planted variety. I have also had Riesling (extraordinary and singular) and Pinot Gris (excellent quality) from this vineyard; I understand Muscat is planted, but I have not had one.

Florimont's Best Growers
If Bruno Sorg were better known, as he deserves to be, wine lovers would flock to wines from this vineyard. Sorg is one of the great growers of the region, and from Florimont he makes fantastic Gewürztraminer and Riesling. This Riesling merits particular plaudits for combining all the majesty one should expect from a Grand Cru with a rather naughty sensuousness: it is so ripe it seems to burst on the tongue, and true to Grand Cru form, its qualitative consistency from year to year is steady. The other wine from this vineyard that comes to mind right now is the Gewürztraminer from the local cooperative of Ingersheim which usually bears a bacon-fatty, tropical fruit-tone.

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Once upon a time, Gewürztraminer was the poster child for the wines of Alsace, as it was commonly the first wine people encountered from the region. If this grape's wines are not the most majestic (that would be Riesling) or seductive (which is certainly Muscat), it definitely makes the most individualistic wines. A good Gewürztraminer is voluptuous and sexy, but it generally garners reactions not unlike the town harlot: these wines are often "love it" or "hate it" experiences. Gewürztraminer is often so intense and powerful and...controversial...that Pinot Blanc (well Auxerrois really) is now in the van for representing Alsace wine to the world.

Gewürztraminer ("guh-VURTZ-TRA-mee-ner")is a pink-berried mutation of the Traminer ("TRA-mee-ner") grape variety. It was apparently known at some point as Traminer Musqué, but when the gewürz (which literally means "spiced" in German) was attached, it stuck. The name is the result of its perfume, which is so exuberant that it can be identified in a blind tasting based on that information alone.

This pronounced aroma is generally dominated by scents of litchi nuts and/or rose petals, sometimes grapefruit and honey, and when it is bone-dry: bacon fat. The flavor of a typical Gewürztraminer is often dominated by litchi nuts as well, but many notions lurk, plotting to assault your palate with some SERIOUS FLAVOR. They are so bold that one can easily grow weary of the flavor profile of a generic wine. However, the Grands Crus of Alsace that are great for Gewürztraminer make serious wines indeed, and twenty years of maturity is not unheard-of (if unnecessary).

Gewürztraminer in Late Harvest Form
Of the two levels of late-harvest wines, Vendanges Tardives are often made as dry wine, but this is not commonly true when the raw material is Gewurz. In this form, it is outrageously flamboyant and exotic, more so certainly than any other Alsatian grape. Its aromas and flavors cover a range: coconut, banana creme, litchi, vanilla, peaches, cloves, marmalade, among so many others. I also can't get enough of this when eating Chinese food, from almost any region, as the flavors are generally carried through the dish by soy, and Gewurz VT is just dynamite with soy.

As for the Sélection de Grains Nobles, they can be some of the most sensuous and seductive wines you'll ever have. These wines are still influenced by amplified rose and litchi qualities, but these features are still commonly in the background. Gewurz SGN is such a concentrated, intense wine that a fabulously ripe peach quality comes to the fore, bringing with it a sense vanilla butter cream. The paradox with SGN, having been so concentrated, is that it rarely expresses its natural spice quality amid all the magnification of its other varietal characteristics. I suppose that the spice qualities are absorbed into the character of the botrytis, but whatever the case, Gewürztraminer SGN is a sensational wine of unique qualities.

Gewürztraminer in the Vineyard
Gewürztraminer is difficult to bring from vineyard to winery in good condition for making great wine, as its natural sugars are high, and natural acids are rather low. The high grape sugar means that there is more sugar to turn into alcohol, so its alcohol level is commonly over 13-14%, which still works well with Alsace's rather weighty cuisine. The low acid means that if it isn't carefully grown, it can be flabby and unappealing. Good growers are still able to elicit excellent wine from this quirky grape even in such blisteringly hot vintages as 2003, where good vineyard practices were paramount.

Those who are unfamiliar with growing Gewurz (ge-VURTZ, as it is most commonly called, for obvious reasons) should spend the first three seasons of their newly planted vines' lives working with a great grower, so that when the vines are ready to bear usable fruit, they'll be prepared to keep the wine in balance. The great Alsatian growers of Gewürztraminer routinely find significant enough acidity in their grapes that they often need to leave residual sugar in the final wine for balance, though rarely does the resulting wine taste "sweet."

Food with Gewürztraminer
Gewürztraminer is generally quite food friendly, so long as the food your are serving with it is also strongly flavored. This makes it a good companion during the holidays, when many disparate flavors come together at a Christmas feast. It is also excellent with Alsatian classic dishes--I love it with Choucroute; French Muenster, with which it is such a heavenly companion; pork terrines; the savory (and uncommon) Kugelhopf au lard; and Schieffala (smoked pork and potato casserole).

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