Gewürztraminer

Gewurztraminer can be love or hate. A pink-skinned grape making richly coloured whites, Gewurztraminer’s lychee/rose petal perfume is so strong it makes Muscat seem barely musqué, and can force instant opinions. The grape’s oiliness, high-phenolics and stone-fruity richness can be a voluptuous delight - especially late harvest or dessert styles - but low acid and perishable aromatics can favour drinking fairly young. Rare dry examples match well with white game, while the ginger and mango in sweeter styles perform nicely against South-East Asian spices. At home in France’s Alsace, Gewurtz is also notably grown in Northern Italy, Germany, North-West America, and of course New Zealand.