Gewürztraminer

Gewürztraminer is known to be a white grape that produces captivating wines with distictive aromas like lychee, rose, spice, ginger and tropical fruits.

The grape berry of Gewürztraminer has a pinkish-grey or greyish-white skin. Gewürztraminer has an intense and very aromatic bouquet, with scents of lychee, rose, spice, grapefruit and pineapple. It is full-bodied with high alcohol content, low to moderate acidity and a distinct sweetness.

Gewürztraminer is most commonly associated with the Alsace region of France. It is also grown in Germany, Austria, northern Italy, the United States, New Zealand and Australia. Gewürztraminer is a late-ripening variety which needs a warm and sunny climate. The vines are sensitive to drought and need a lot of water during the ripening period. This variety is usually made into dry or off-dry wines with a long finish, and is also used for sweet and fortified wines. As one of the four "noble grapes" in Alsace region, Gewürztraminer produces rich, aromatic and complex wines ranging from dry white to late harvest and botrytizied sweet wines. The finest Alsacian Gewürztraminer wines are from the Grand Cru vineyards. In Germany and Austria, the Gewürztraminer are usually slightly sweeter, while in northern Italy, in the region of Alto Adige, the Gewürztraminer tend to be dry, lighter in body and slightly mineral. In New Zealand and Australia, Gewürztraminer is usually made into off-dry wines with distictive aromas of lychee and rose. Gewürztraminer pairs well with spicy Asian dishes, such as Thai and Indian cuisine. It is also a good match for salty and rich dishes, such as foie gras and smoked salmon.

Gewürztraminer literally means "spicy Tramin", for its distictive aromatic characteristics.

However, the relation of Gewürztraminer to the town of Tramin, in Alto Adige, is found to be nonexistent.