Grape variety · White
Gewürztraminer
The most perfumed white grape: lychee and rose petal in the glass, with pinkish skins and fairly low acidity.
- White
- Home: The pink-skinned, aromatic form of the old Traminer/Savagnin family; the name links to Tramin (Termeno) in South Tyrol
- France, Germany, Italy, Austria
At a glance
- Also known as
- Traminer Aromatico
- Roter Traminer
- Savagnin Rose
- Colour
- White
- Origin
- The pink-skinned, aromatic form of the old Traminer/Savagnin family; the name links to Tramin (Termeno) in South Tyrol
- Main regions
- Alsace, Germany (Pfalz), Alto Adige, Austria, New Zealand, Oregon and Washington
- Varietal or blend
- Nearly always a single-variety wine.
- Body & sweetness
- Medium to full-bodied; dry to very sweet.
Taste & style
- Flavour
- Lychee, rose, Turkish delight, ginger and sweet spice.
- Style
- Rich and oily, often with a touch of sweetness and high-ish alcohol. Late-harvest Alsace wines (Vendange Tardive, SGN) are lusciously sweet.
In the vineyard & winery
- Growing
- Buds early and is vulnerable to frost and disease; low yielding. Needs a cool climate but a long season to build aroma.
- Winemaking
- Usually fermented in steel or neutral casks to keep its scent; picking date is critical, as acidity falls fast.
Food matches
- Munster cheese
- Spicy Asian food, Thai curry
- Smoked salmon
- Foie gras (sweeter styles)
Notes
- "Gewürz" is German for spice.
- Written Gewurztraminer (no umlaut) in Alsace.