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).

Popularity: 9% [?]