Gewurztraminer, Old World
Gewurztraminer is one of the six aromatic grape varieties and on this it delivers in spades! It’s a bold, highly aromatic, rich white wine which can, truth be told, divide a crowd. We’ve had some bottles we’ve enjoyed very much, and others that were overly perfumed for our palate, and on the sweeter side too.
But when it’s good, it’s great, and the skin-contact beauty we’ve written up below was a total gem.
5 facts on Gewurztraminer:
It’s a pink-skinned white grape, rather than a pale green-skinned white grape, and thus produces some of the deepest coloured white wines with a golden, or even copper hue.
Typically gewurztraminer is low in acidity, and very often off-dry (which means it’s a touch sweet).
Its tell-tale aromas are lychee and rose - delightful and very recognisable!
It’s a fast ripening grape… this means more sugar… and that means more booze. Gewurztraminer is typically high in alcohol (>14% ABV)
Its homeland is Alsace in eastern France, but it grows well in Baden and Pflaz in Germany, in Austria, and in New Zealand.
3 pairings for Gewurztraminer:
Jacket potatoes, with a Thai twist!
(Recipe link). The aromatic flavours and gentle spice of our edamame ‘baked beans’ dance toe-to-toe with the aromatic nature of gewurztraminer. Gewurz can exhibit sweet baking spices on the nose and the palate - ginger, clove, allspice and cinnamon - and it therefore works well with lightly spiced foods. The faint sweetness, and sweeter flavours of the wine, are matched by the caramelised sugars in the baked sweet potato.
Egg-fried rice
(Recipe link). Again, spice on spice! See above. This recipe is loaded with the aromatic warmth of plenty of ginger which harmonises with the gentle spices in the wine. The rich mouthfeel of scrambled egg and sesame oil coated rich match the heavier, oily, texture of a classic gewurz. Matching body-for-body is a key to successful pairing.
Baby Delicia pumpkin & blue cheese fondue
Gewurz can match creamy cheese body-for-body, and its sweet flavours and off-dry nature echo the sweet, nuttiness of the delicia pumpkin. Alas this recipe isn’t on our site, yet, but here’s what to do. Roast hollowed out mini delicia pumpkins until soft, then fill them with blue cheese that’s been loosened with a touch of creme fraiche, cream or kefir. Pop them back under the grill for 10 minutes to bubble and caramelise. Dunk with nutty, whole grain sourdough soldiers.
One of our favourite bottles of gewurztraminer:
Region: Weinviertel, Austria
Vintage: 2017
ABV: 12.5%
Purchased from: Wanderlust Wine
Cost: £30.00
Other info: It’s an orange wine which has spent 4 days fermenting on its skins; it’s a natural wine, and it’s organic; it’s been aged in large oak barrels for two years which lends complexity of flavour and tannic structure.
On the nose:
Dried apricots leap out of the glass (think those dark brown, unsulphured dried apricots with complex caramel flavours); there are notes of honey, clementine zest, floral quince, and clove, reminiscent of a golden, spiced autumn compote.
On the palate:
The wine is dry, with bright acidity - surprising for a gewurtz! - and it’s full bodied with a fine oily texture. Even before the flavours establish themselves you know you’re in for a delicious ride.
The bitter zest of orange and grapefruit pith shines through, along with powerful minerality, stone-fruit sweetness, and delicate notes of blossom. These flavours are propped up by elegant structure (thanks to that skin-contact). Our verdict? Skin contact might just be the way to go when it comes to gweurtz!