The Gewürztraminer Grape

Jancis Robinson, in her monumental book Wine Grapes, asserts definitely that Gewüztraminer is the same grape as (among others) Traminer, Heida, Païen, and Savagnin (which is the heading under which she lists them all). That assertion is based on substantial DNA-profile evidence, so we must accept it. Mind, those various types, at present still accepted as distinct wines, can represent “clonal variations”, but that doesn’t make them separate grape types.

The “Ur-Savagin” apperars to have arisen in a region encompassing the northeast of France and ranging into the southwest of Germany. The Savagnin grape has been parent to a number of other grape types, the more notable of which would seem to include Chenin Blanc, Trousseau, Sauvignon (and thus to Cabernet Sauvignon), Petit Manseng, Gros Manseng, Silvaner, Grüner Veltliner, Rotgipfler, Neuberger, and even Verdelho. Now that is an impressive set of descendants.

The approach we have taken here is to discuss what seem the more important of the “synonym” grapes—Gewürtztraminer, Savignan, and Traminer—on separate pages, because the wines they make are vinified and marketed by those names, and in many cases by vinification methods specific to the grape name (as with, for just one example, the Vin Jaune made from Savignan). So, here goes Gewürtztraminer—which is nowadays widely considered one of the dozen and a half or so “Noble wine grapes” of the world.

An extremely common but erroneous remark one finds about the wine is that the prefix “Gewürz” means “spicy”, and from that evolve remarks about the wine’s “spicy” flavors; in truth, a much better translation would be “perfumed”, and that shows in some of the other names for the grape (Traminer Aromatique, Traminer Musqué, Traminer Parfumé). While the wines typically have strong and somewhat exotic flavors, few if any of them actually correspond to the aromas or tastes of any actual spices.

As you will see below, descriptions of the nose and taste of Gewurz tend to be remarkably similar. The most frequently repeated simile is “lychee” (aka “lichi”), not necessarily an aroma many will be intimate with. One also reads of tropical fruits, floral notes, and that elusive “spiciness”. In fact, there is no good way to put the wine’s quality into words; but one’s first two or three samples will leave an indelible impression.

Gewurz is a grape quite difficult to grow well; it is very sensitive to soil type and climate, and—though a vigorous grower—prone to diseases. As relates to the wine produced, the important aspects of viticulture are that, because the grape has naturally high sugars but rather low acids, in warm climates it tends toward flabby wine lacking sufficient acid to balance the sweetness, whereas if picked early to retain some acid, it may well not have developed enough of its famous characteristic flavor elements. In general, then, getting Gewurz with the full flavor balanced by sufficient acids is very tricky, and so a lot of mediocre Gewurz gets made. Only the top hands can reliably produce good product on a long-term basis.

It is received wisdom, and (for once) probably correct, that the best manifestations of Gewurz are and for some time have been the Alsatian wines (that is also true of such similar wines as Riesling, Pinot Blanc, and a few others). There are some makers in California who are said to have achieved satisfactory results, but by and large the wine world still turns to Alsace for its Gewurz.

Factoid: Despite common lore, it seems highly likely that the name of the grape is not derived from that of the town of Tramin.

Some Descriptions of Gewürztraminer Wines

Wikipedia
“The variety has high natural sugar and the wines are white and usually off-dry, with a flamboyant bouquet of lychees. Indeed, Gewürztraminer and lychees share the same aroma compounds. Dry Gewürztraminers may also have aromas of roses, passion fruit and floral notes. It is not uncommon to notice some spritz (fine bubbles on the inside of the glass).”
Winophelia
“No other region in the world can match Alsace for explosively spicy, fruity gewürzes. A good Alsace gewürztraminer combines aromas and flavors of citrus and tropical fruits, rose petal, lichee, sweet brown spices (the gewürz prefix in German means spicy) and grilled bacon or smoked meat. While some wines tend to be more floral and others more fruit-driven, most examples of both types are spicy, aromatic, flavorful, low in acidity and rather full-bodied. Floral gewürzes are usually lighter and more delicate while fruitier versions are more often thick, even oily in texture.”
Grape Heaven
“It is not a subtle wine, it is distinctive and its special quality sets it apart from all other white wines. Because of the intense aroma and strong flavor some people have difficulty enjoying it with food. Gewurztraminer is known for being very crisp and spicy. While it has varying degrees of sweetness and dryness, this wine is distinct in its aromas, colors and flavors. The wine is full bodied, which is rare in white wines. It has characteristics and flavors of flowers specifically roses, gardenias, honeysuckle; and fruits such as grapefruit, peaches and mangos; and spices like nutmeg, cloves, ginger and vanilla. Gewurztraminer has also been noted for its musky or earthly flavor, while others suggest that the flavor is more herbaceous, grassy, sometimes with a hint of asparagus. Although there are many descriptions of Gewurztraminer, most will agree that when you taste Gewurztraminer it tends to be both sweet and spicy at the same time. People tend to either really love Gewurztraminer or stay far away from it because its intensity can be overwhelming.”
Wine Maker
“Gewürztraminer can be made in many styles and for many purposes. It can range from dry, to sweet, to fortified to sparkling. It can also be used for blending. Most of the Alsatian versions are dry (trocken) or semi-dry (halb-trocken) and both types are good. Dry Gewürztraminer, with no residual sugar, is best served alongside Oriental or Indian cuisine, with which it matches up very well. The wide range of exotic flavors in the food complement Gewürztraminer’s flavor and aroma. Sweeter versions, with three percent or more of residual sugar, are best served as a dessert wine with sweet pastries and fruit cream dishes. Slightly sweet Gewürztraminer – which weighs in at between one and a half to three percent of residual sugar – can be delightful with sweet, cream foods or some cream desserts.”
Wine Tastings Guide
“Most Alsatian Gewurztraminer wine is a dry or just off-dry white wine. However, some late harvest wines can be quite sweet…Gewurztraminer can have a flamboyant personality which people either love or are put off by. First of all, it tends to be very aromatic with dramatic aromas of rose petals and lychee fruit jumping from the glass. The flavors tend to be bold, full-bodied and often have a spicy accent to them. They can seem almost waxy or oily because of their full body and relatively low acid. Yet, despite the lower acid and rounder, fatter texture, the best Alsatian wines stay in excellent balance. They do not have the thrust and verve of a Riesling and almost represent a polar opposite in terms of personality. Most Gewurz is excellent young but some can age well too. While they do not have the longevity of Riesling, they can improve in bottle for many years.”
winery-sage.com
“It is often described as having the small of roses or Lychees but not in subtle way. A strong sniff of Gewurztraminer often results in an olfactory overload. It taste is equally polarizing. Gewurztraminer is a low acid Varietal so in most cases, there really isn’t a counterbalance to a sweetness that can range from subtle to overpowering. While many sources describe it as full bodied white wine, in reality that full body character can also produce a cloying sweetness that overwhelms the other characteristic of the wine. The best examples are subtle with a balance of perfume, crispness and spice. If either the vineyard master or the winemaker makes a mistake with Gewurztraminer it can’t be hidden. For those who grow Gewurztraminer, it’s a labor of love because it's a very difficult grape to grow. It ripens early so an onset of late rain or cold can cause problems. Cool, dry climates allow what meager acid is present to mature. In warmer climates, it quickly ripens with little acidity or complexity. Like most wine grape varietals, it will over produce if not kept in check, which weakens the fruit flavors. Its grape color can range from green, to yellow and even orange, usually depending on climate.”
DrinkWine.com
“Gewürztraminer is a pink-skinned, small-clustered grape variety that sets a modest crop and ripens fully in propitious, cool-climate conditions, producing heady, alcoholic, dry table wines…Gewürztraminer is justly famed for its wonderfully exotic, complex aroma, which is reminiscent of roses, lychee fruit, allspice, peaches, and grapefruit. ”
Professional Friends of Wine
“Gewürztraminer is one of the most pungent wine varietals, easy for even the beginning taster to recognize by its heady, aromatic scent…Gewürztraminer is highly perfumed and quite full-bodied, more so than all other white wine grapes, with the exception of Viognier. In fact, the combination of Gewürztraminer's strong, heady, perfumed scent, exotic lychee-nut flavor and heavy-oily texture can be overwhelming and tiring to many palates. There is also a slight tendency to bitterness that seems exacerbated by ripeness, so a light touch is needed at the wine press. Many makers finish their Gewürztraminer with a spot of residual sugar…The most frequently encountered (but not exclusive) smell and/or flavor elements found in Gewürztraminer-based wines include: Floral—rose petal, gardenia, honeysuckle; Fruity—lychee, grapefruit, peach, mango; Mineral—petroleum, terpene, diesel; Aggressive—perfume, spice.
Sally's Place
“Gewurztraminer [is] probably the world’s most distinctive white table wine. For most wine drinkers, Gewurztraminer is a love/hate wine because its bold, exotic perfume reminiscent of cinnamon and cloves, litchi and rose petals, its full-bodied texture and prominent spicy flavors can be too extreme for some. The varietal possesses these characteristics regardless of where it is grown, but Alsatian vineyards produce by far the truest version of Gewurztraminer. What makes Alsatian Gewurztraminer superior to all others? Primarily soil, hillside elevation and exposure, a perfect microclimate and older grapevines.”

Some Gewürztraminers to Try

Beware sweetness levels: supposedly “table wine” Gewurz can range from bone-dry to quite a ways “off dry”; none are accordingly “better” or “worse”, but your appreciation will depend mightily on your preference for dryness in non-dessert wines.

For a Splurge

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This page was last modified on Saturday, 30 October 2021, at 11:26 pm Pacific Time.

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