A Grape to Devour
It’s December, yet a rose has suddenly bloomed on our rosebush. A very beautiful one, and it even smells as it should. That real, pure rose fragrance—you no longer find it at the flower stall.
Fortunately, there is a wine that seduces you with comparable aromas. One with such an aromatic palate that—alongside countless rose petals—lychees, orange peel, peach and marzipan are all vying for first place. Add to that a spicy note so obvious that the German Gewürz (spice) was added to the old name traminer. Even Sun King Louis XIV attributed special powers to this grape, though presumably that was merely an excuse for his own lavish consumption.
Noble by nature
Gewurztraminer, then—even in Alsace, it has been selected as a noble grape variety. A wine with high sweetness potential and a German name does not necessarily appeal to everyone. An unfortunate comparison with the Liebfraumilch of yesteryear is lurking. But that is unfair to this purple-coloured grape. These wines are anything but tired. And gastronomically versatile to boot!
The (slightly) dry bottles have the characteristic aromatic perfume, but on the palate they are surprisingly spicy and mild. Dishes with lobster, veal sweetbreads or game pâté frolic happily in their company. But the sweeter style also performs well. Take our beloved spicy food, for instance. Even the avowed sugar refusenik will be won over. The tension between fruit and spice is a seamless match for the—usually difficult to pair—Asian and Indian styles. Especially when coconut milk and ginger are involved. And with such dishes, the rule is: the hotter the meal, the sweeter the wine.
And together with their intoxicatingly candied aroma, they hold their own alongside Munster cheese, a full-fat blue cheese and foie gras.
Golden wines
The fact that Asians have discovered this golden duo themselves is clear from the steadily rising annual export figures to the region. And of course, there are also the noble-sweet Vendanges Tardives (overripe and harvested late) and Sélection de Grains Nobles (overripe and affected by noble rot). These golden wines are thrillingly full and soft. And together with their intoxicatingly candied aroma, they hold their own alongside Munster cheese, a full-fat blue cheese and foie gras. Personally, I prefer savoury dessert, but for such a magical match I am happy to choose sweet for once.
A class apart
Many European countries share a long history with this grape. And today it even grows worldwide. But the refined expression of the Alsatian bottle is truly a class apart. Thanks to the local warm summers, usually followed by a beautiful autumn, the grapes in this French region ripen remarkably calmly and steadily. The result is plenty of fruit and delicate aromas. A kind of slow cooking by nature, really.
Call me a true Gewurz enthusiast. For me, uncorking such a bottle feels like a secret little celebration. A bit like the first time you slow-dance to ‘Je t’aime moi non plus’. You may still be a little inexperienced, but once you are in the arms of that charming boy from your class, the rose petals drift down and no Gewürz can hold a candle to it.
Text: Romy Kooij – Miss WineLane
Image: Shutterstock
