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We don’t drink a huge amount of wine but there’s the habit of picking the well known stuff. You know, a nice safe chardonnay or a white zinfandel?
So this time at the shop, I decided to try to go for something different to my normal purchases and came home with two bottles, one of which was a Gewürztraminer. Not knowing much about the wine – apart from it is white and sounds German – I thought I would do some research and share it.
Contents
What is Gewurztraminer?
Gewürztraminer is a grape variety that is used in white wines but actually has a pink or even red skin. It is high in natural sugars and shares the same aromatic compounds as lychees so is often said to have a similar aroma.
Because is grows best in cooler climates, its homeland includes the Alps areas of Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Germany and down to Romania, Croatia and Bosnia. It is one of the 18 Classic Noble Grapes and is actually quite a rare grape, with only around 20,000 acres of the plants around the world.
Gewürztraminer is sometimes called a grown-up version of Moscato and certainly has a higher alcohol as well as lower acidity and stronger aromatics to it. As well as the characteristics lychee aroma, there are also said to be flavours such as ruby red grapefruit, ginger, rose petal and a smoky aroma as well. While it is naturally sweet, it isn’t necessarily a sweet wine.
Where does it come from?
Currently, the largest producer of Gewürztraminer wines is the Alsace region of France where there are around 7,000 acres – they come with designations such as Grand Cru and Haunt-Rhin to show which particularly areas.
There are around 3,000 acres in the US, primarily in California though both New York and Washington state have had some success with their climates. Aside from these, the wines also come from Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and Hungary.
What does it pair with?
Generally, the best foods to work with this wine are traditional Alsace cuisines as well as Middle Eastern and Moroccan cuisines – those that use roasted meat, nuts and dried fruits work particularly well.
Meat
- Pork
- Bacon
- Chicken
- Duck
- Shrimp
- Crab
Vegetables
- Red Onion
- Bell Pepper
- Eggplant
- Squash
- Carrot
Spices
- Cayenne Pepper
- Cloves
- Ginger
- Cinnamon
- Allspice
- Turmeric
For cheeses, go for the less strongly smelling cheese such as soft cow’s milk cheese. Cheeses that also contain dried fruit will work well
A good wine option
Gewürztraminer is a good wine to try when you want something different and to get away from slightly tarty white wines. It works well with a number of favourite types of food as well as spicy dishes that can sometimes battle with other wines.
Have you tried Gewürztraminer? What did you think?
