GEWURZTRAMINER Grape (English)

  GEWURZTRAMINER (or Gewürztraminer in German-speaking regions) is a pink-skinned grape variety that produces some of the world’s most distinctive aromatic white wines.

GEWURZTRAMINER wines are perfumed with aromas ranging from blossom to lychee and orange peel, all with a relatively full body, low acidity and ranging from dry to sweet. Most readily associated with the Alsace Region of North Eastern France, the grape is nonetheless found in wine regions worldwide.

GEWURZTRAMINER are typically Lychee, Rose petal, Turkish delight (loukoum: Oriental confectionery made with a paste based on honey, corn starch, flavorings and colorings, and sometimes garnished with dried fruits), Tropical fruit and Perfume.

On the palate it is marked by its full texture, low acidity, stonefruit (Mango, Peach and Apricot) and spicy (Ginger and Cinnamon) flavors.

The first aroma you’ll come across in a glass of Gewürztraminer is its tell-tale lychee aroma. If you’ve never smelled lychee – canned or fresh – then this aroma will be more like ‘sweet rose.’ The lychee aroma is usually so intense, it’s one of Gewürztraminer’s ‘tells’ in a blind tasting. If you’re drinking high quality Gewürztraminer you’ll find a great many complex aromatics including Ruby Red Grapefruit, Rose Petal, Ginger and a Smoky Aroma similar to burnt incense.

The latter two aspects often go hand in hand as Gewurztraminer winemakers often try to leave some residual sugar in the finished wine to counterbalance its drying phenolics – sometimes detectable in both dry and sweet styles on the back-palate (the aftertaste).

Food Pairings

Duck, Chicken, Pork, Bacon, Shrimp and Crab

Spices and Herbs

Highly spiced and aromatic herbs including Cayenne Pepper, Ginger, Clove, Cinnamon, Allspice, Turmeric, Madras Curry, Sichuan Pepper, Shallots, Soy Sauce, Sesame, Almond, Rose Water, Lime Leaf, Bay Leaf, Coriander, Cumin