WTN - I've fallen in love with Gewurztraminer

Not that I didn't like it before, but somehow dry GT had always stood in the shadow of dry Riesling. A fabulous Alsatian changed that. And then last week had the chance to taste quite a good one from Oregon (whose white wines are very Alsatian in style).

Gustave Lorentz, Gewurztraminer, Reserve, Alsace 2007
Beautiful, floral, fruity nose, with peach, and stone/mineral. Beautiful on the palate, with fresh-off-the-tree peach, pear, white flowers, spice, and stone. Wondeful. Best Gewurztraminer I've had, as well as the best dry Alsatian wine I've had. Very fairly priced at $24. Excellent / Exception (89 - 91) [4/10/10]

Sineann, Gewurztraminer, Oak Ridge Vineyard, Columbia Gorge 2006 (Oregon)
Rich nose of pear, stone, and white flowers. Palate of pinapple, pear, a hint of apricot, white flowers, toasted coconut, and stone. Medium-full body, good acidity, almost steely. Rich but with softness. Can last another 2 - 4 years. Excellent (87 - 90). [4/30/10]

I'm a big fan of dry gewurztraminer and always wonder why I don't drink more of it. Probably because at the end of the day I still feel that riesling is more interesting/complex/etc. Plus there is some stigma attached to it. (Tonight I was out at dinner and wanted to order a gewurztraminer but knew that my German in-laws would make funny comments).

But 'fun' is one of the best parts of the grape.

Hey Rahsaan. I agree that at the end of the day, Riesling is the one that can soar to greater heights, and to be honest, the single best dry Riesling I've had beats even this lovely Lorentz (of course, the Riesling in question was a Brueur!).

Your in-laws are German? Interesting. What are their preferences in wine?

And what GT's were on the menu tonight, just out of curiosity?

Your in-laws are German? Interesting. What are their preferences in wine?

Before I came along they were more likely to drink grauburgunder and weissburgunder but I've been trying to get them into the glories of their own riesling. With some success. They're of the generation that overlooked their own riesling because my wife's grandparents bought all the 'classic' Mosel/'Rheingau names.

And what GT's were on the menu tonight, just out of curiosity?

Trimbach Cuvée des Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre. Would have been good. Not that we went wrong with 06 Huet Le Mont Sec.

Trimbach Cuvée des Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre. Would have been good. Not that we went wrong with 06 Huet Le Mont Sec.

Both sound like very nice choices. Don't see many lists with even one of those producers on there, let alone both...

Don't see many lists with even one of those producers on there, let alone both...

Really? I don't think of Trimbach and Huet as underground producers. But I agree that most lists suck. Such is our peril to be so picky!

FWIW, we were at No. 9 Park which has an excellent list all around.

You don't need to be 'underground' to not be featured on a list. From what I've seen, a lot of wine lists are put together from the perspective of what 'sells' - Gewurztraminer and Riesling sadly don't for the most part (unless there's a cheap, easily recognizable name by the glass - something like Dr. L), and Huet/Vouvray often doesn't. Places that have wine lists that feature 'harder to sell' wines that don't immediately attract attention based off the name cache of the producer/appellation (to casual drinkers) are generally rare, and those that have knowledgeable sommeliers that can point consumers in the right direction re. those wines are rarer still.

You don't need to be 'underground' to not be featured on a list. From what I've seen, a lot of wine lists are put together from the perspective of what 'sells' - Gewurztraminer and Riesling sadly don't for the most part (unless there's a cheap, easily recognizable name by the glass - something like Dr. L), and Huet/Vouvray often doesn't. Places that have wine lists that feature 'harder to sell' wines that don't immediately attract attention based off the name cache of the producer/appellation (to casual drinkers) are generally rare, and those that have knowledgeable sommeliers that can point consumers in the right direction re. those wines are rarer still.

Fair enough. I suppose it all depends on which restaurants one is looking at and you are probably correct when talking about the overall picture.

But even if Alsatian gewurztraminer and Vouvray are not as mainstream as basic sauvignon blanc and chardonnay, they are still more widely available than a lot of other more obscure white wines. And Trimbach and Huet are the blue chip 'appellation-leading' producers that are most likely to be seen if one does have an Alsatian or Vouvray wine.

Here's another vote for Gewurtz. It's probably the first wine I had that made me love wine. This was many, many moons ago. Oddly the last two I've had were a bit disappointing but they were rather more sweet than I normally care for.

I always try to keep a case or so of Gewurzt. in my cellar. I almost never eat Chinese food without a nice Gewurzt. Alsatian is still the very best as no other region seems to produce the textures I love (viscous/oily) . I never buy German Gewurzt. as it pales to Alsatian. Cal./Ore. examples sometimes have all the right flavors and nose (rose petal, lychee,spicey pear) and good acidity but again lack the viscous texture/mouth feel. Plus Alsatian Gewurzt. ages really well.

You sit down to a big platter of weenies & kraut..and it just cries out for a GWT.
The Alsatians used to own the field. But I'm finding many of the ones from AltoAdige/Italy are even better than
many Alsatian versions AbazziaNovacella for one.
And Calif is starting to do some good things w/ GWT. The Claibourne&Churchill is particularly good. The Tercero Outlier
is first rate. And Novy just released one that I have high hopes for.
Tom

...Plus Alsatian Gewurzt. ages really well.

Couldn't agree more, Jim. I once had a ClosGaensbroennel '59 at 30 yrs of age that was absolutely scarey it was so good.
Tom

Try a Zind-Humbrecht "Hengst" for great classy Gewurz. They use a number in small print in the lower left of the front label to indicate relative sweetness - The "Indice number" goes from 1 to 5, from dry to very sweet. I had the '97 Hengst last year, no Indice # on that one as they only started adding those around 2000. It was slightly sweet, and oh so classy and delicious! Quite cool, it was the perfect summer sipping wine!

Have never had a California gewurtz that comes close to a good Alsatian one. The two that are in our cellar right now are Corazon (made by Corison winery) and Joseph Swan. They are both heads and shoulders above most others from this staate.

Yoel,

Try the Fess Parker Gewurztraminer. I find it to be consistantly among the better Cal. Gewurz that I have had. I do agree that it's hard to beat the juice from Alsace. Same goes for Pinot Gris.

Have never had a California gewurtz that comes close to a good Alsatian one. The two that are in our cellar right now are Corazon (made by Corison winery) and Joseph Swan. They are both heads and shoulders above most others from this staate.

I've had both the Corison and Swan versions, but for my money the best Gewurztraminer in CA comes from the Anderson Valley, with Navarro and Lazy Creek as its foremost producers there.

Mark Lipton

...I'm finding many of the ones from AltoAdige/Italy are even better than
many Alsatian versions...

Tom, count me in your camp. I've been more disappointed by the Alsatian ones in the last 10-15 years and really pleased with what has come out of NE Italy during the last 5-8 years. Really good stuff, not cheap, however (at around $30).

M