Gewurztraminer is a grape to cause confusion. It sounds German, but is famous in Alsace, France which admittedly, is close to Germany. In Germany and Northern Italy where German not Italian is spoke, the name is Traminer. To add interest, the wines from different areas differ due to genetic differences which also results in green and pink skin variants.
Characteristics
Gewurztraminer is a white wine that produces distinctive wines rich in spicy aromas and full flavours, ranging from dry to sweet. Gewurz is German for spice or flavouring. Smells and flavours of litchin nuts, gingerbread, vanilla, grapefruit and honeysuckle come out of this variety. It is often a popular choice for Asian cuisines and strongly flavoured sausages.
Viniculture
Despite being a difficult grape to grow, it is found in varying quantities across Europe and the New World. Alsace produces the finest examples. New World variants mostly lack the spiciness of Alsace, being easy drinking not too dry wines for quick drinking. New Zealand is the exception getting close to real thing from Alsace.