W3 Wine School

Gewürztraminer (Italy)

Gewürztraminer originates from Italy, but is best cultivated in Alsace where it produces one of the most Aromatic white wines in the world.

Gewürztraminer Flavors

Gewürztraminer is known for its Exotic aroma explosion.

Orange. Grapefruit. Peach. Pineapple. Mango. Passion Fruit. Ginger. Lychee. Rose Petals. Perfume. Spice. Pepper. Smoke.

Orange
Orange
Grapefruit
Grapefruit
Peach
Peach
Pineapple
Pineapple
Ginger
Ginger
Lychee
Lychee
Flowers
Rose Petals
Pepper
Pepper

Gewürztraminer Profile

SUGAR:Off -Dry
BODY:Medium - High
FRUIT:Medium
ACIDITY:Medium - Low
ALCOHOL:12-13% ABV
Temperature Serving temperature:
Off-Dry 6-8°C (43-46°F)
Dry 8-10°C (46-50°F)

Gewürztraminer Food Pairing

Many Fish dishes, especially with Butter, will break with Gewürztraminer.

Gewürztraminer pairs best with light meat dishes, and is excellent with spicy dishes and oriental cuisine.

Aperitif
Aperitif
Asian
Sweet
Sour
Pâté
Pâté
Soups
Soups
Chicken
Chicken
Chili
Chili
Strong Cheese
Strong
Cheese
Fruit Cakes
Fruit
Cakes

Excellent Pairings

Aperitif.
Alsatian Dishes. Duck. Foie Gras. Pâté.
Seafood. Fish.
Spicy Dishes. Indian. Thai. Vietnamese. Korean. Mexican. Moroccan. Arabic.
Sweet and Sour Asian.
Sweet Vegetables (Pumpkin, Sweet Potato, Squash).
Fruit Cakes (Apple, Mango, Ginger).

Cheeses

Strong Cheese.
Alsatian Münster. Époisses. Reblochon.
Blue Cheese.
Roquefort. Gorgonzola.
Danablue. Stilton.

Alsatian Specialities

Quiche Lorraine.
Tarte Flambe (White Pizza).


The Ideal Glass for Gewürztraminer

A Tulip Shaped Glass with a slightly smaller bowl can be suitable for various dry white wine styles.

It guides the wine to the center of your mouth, avoiding the sides where acidity is less pleasant.

A smaller bowl also helps to serve smaller quantities, and keep the wine cold. It also helps if you hold the glass by the stem!

Gewürztraminer Cheese Pairing

Off-dry white wines (Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Chenin Blanc) have a touch of sweetness that makes them super versatile with cheese.

  • Brie and Camembert are cheeses with a creaminess that pairs beautifully with the sweetness and acidity of Gewürztraminer.
  • Chèvre (Goat Cheese). A tangy and bright goat cheese is a classic with slightly sweet whites.
  • Gorgonzola Dolce. Sweet wine balances the saltiness and funk of mild blue cheeses.
  • Havarti and Fontina are buttery and mild cheeses that play well with the fruitiness of the wine.
  • Taleggio (Washed rind cheese). The cheese funk is mellowed by the sweetness of the Gewürztraminer.
  • Gruyère is nutty and rich, and balance nicely with the acidity and fruitiness of Gewürztraminer.

If You Like Gewürztraminer

You May Also Like:

Chenin Blanc - Off-Dry (France)
Fior d'Arancio (Italy)
Gewürztraminer (France)
Liebfraumilch (Germany)
Müller-Thurgau (Germany)
Pinot Gris (France)
Ruländer (Germany)
Riesling Off-Dry (Germany)
Traminette (USA)
Vouvray Off-Dry (France)

About Gewürztraminer

Roter Traminer is red, Gewürztraminer is light red/pink, Gelber Traminer is yellow. All these Traminer types are referred to as Gewürztraminer. The different clones also deliver different spiciness (“Gewürz” in German) influenced by the terroir.

Gewurztraminer originates from Italy, but is more cultivated in Alsace where it produces one of the most distinctive and aromatic white wines in the world.

Gewürztraminer is a highly aromatic grape variety with a pink to red skin colour.

If you think of Sauvignon Blanc is aromatic, it is far behind Gewurztraminer in terms of flavor concentration. The word perfumed is usually not to take the mouth full.

Gewurztraminer combines aromatic richness with high alcohol content, and moderate to low acidity.

Gewurztraminers are often good in sweeter editions, made from overripe grapes, and in such a version it can be drunk for itself or combined with goose liver.

Gewurztraminer without the right balance can be vulgar, oily aroma monsters that do not combine well with food.

Wine Region Alto Adige

Bolzano

St.Magdalener vineyards on the slopes of Bolzano

Black Grapes

White Grapes

Cabernet Sauvignon

  9% Schiava
  8% Pinot Nero
  7% Lagrein

Sauvignon

22% Chardonnay
19% Pinot Grigio
  6% Gewürztraminer
  6% Pinot Bianco
  6% Sauvignon Blanc


Red Wines

White Wines

Red Wine

Schiava
St. Magdalener
Lagrein
Pinot Nero
Teroldego
Merlot
Vernatch

Lagrein Rosato

White Wine

Pinot Grigio
Chardonnay
Gewürztraminer
Pinot Bianco
Sauvignon Blanc
Kerner
Müller-Thurgau
Silvaner
Terlaner

Climate

The Dolomite mountain range strongly influences the climate and vineyard altitudes. The climate is generally cool, with significant temperature variations between day and night. This diurnal temperature range is favorable for the development of aromatic compounds in the grapes.

The Alps protect Alto Adige from cold air from the north. From the south, warm, moist air from Lake Garda and the Mediterranean find their way to Alto Adige.

Mild sunny days, warm soils, cool nights, and strong winds bring freshness to Alto Adige wines.

DOC Regions

Alto Adige has DOC regions that account for 85% of the total eine production wine:

Alto Adige / Südtirol DOC
Casteller DOC
Delle Venezie DOC
Lago di Caldaro / Caldaro / Kalterersee / Kalterer DOC
Teroldego Rotaliano DOC
Trentino DOC
Trento DOC
Valdadige / Etschtaler DOC
Valdadige Terradeiforti / Terradeiforti DOC


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