TN: Going through some serious Gewürztraminers

WINE TALK
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Another one of our blind tastings. This time our focus was set on Gewürztraminer - however nobody of us except our master of ceremony knew anything about the wines, so all we knew were that the wines we were going to taste were made with this distinctive pink variety. Although we were expecting to see quite a bit of Alsace, we were positively surprised that there were some examples outside of Alsace as well.

We also had one nice Bojo at the end of the tasting - this one wasn’t poured blind, though.

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  • 2018 Cantina Terlan Gewürztraminer Lunare - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Alto Adige - Südtirol (6.9.2021)
    Aged for 9 months on the lees in stainless steel (50%) and large oak casks (50%). Blended together and left to marry for 3 months, bottled after total 12 months of aging. 15% alcohol, 6,1 g/l residual sugar, 5,5 g/l acidity. Tasted blind.

Youthful, pale yellow-green color. Heady and very sweet nose with pronounced aromas of rose-flavored Turkish delights, some pear juice, light perfumed notes of exotic flowers, a little bit of honeydew melon and a hint of ripe grapey fruit. The wine is ripe, slightly oily and rather full-bodied on the palate with intense, off-dry flavors of juicy pear, stony minerality, some peppery spice, a little bit of rosewater, light bitter notes of apple peel, a hint of lychee and a touch of honeydew melon. The medium-to-moderately high acidity keeps the wine nicely in balance. The finish is long, spicy and medium-dry with bold, perfumed flavors of exotic spices, stony minerality, some ripe pear tones, a little bit of honeydew melon, light sweet notes of apple jam, a hint of acacia honey and a touch of lychee.

A tasty, vibrant and very expressive Gewürztraminer. Virtually everybody thought the wine was a classic Alsatian off-dry-to-medium-sweet Gewurztraminer, so naturally everybody (me included) was surprised to learn that the wine was not only Italian, but also technically dry at 6,1 g/l RS. The wine certainly tasted a lot sweeter than that, thanks to its combination of very ripe fruit, high alcohol and slightly viscous mouthfeel. However, even if the wine tasted somewhat sweeter than it actually was, it was still surprisingly balanced and harmonious. Even its high alcohol remained surprisingly well out of sight; one attendee in the tasting guessed the wine was closer to 13% in alcohol, I thought closer to 14% - that 15% really came as a big surprise. So, all in all, a big and exuberant wine, but really nice at it. Perhaps a bit pricey at 32€, but good stuff all the same. (92 pts.)

Quite youthful yellow-green color. Closed and somewhat stuffy nose with aromas of dust, some white cheese rind, a little bit of apple jam and light floral notes of white flowers. The wine is dull, dry and watery on the palate with flavors of stony minerality, some damp wool and light dusty notes. Quite soft medium-plus acidity with a little bit of viscosity in the mouthfeel. The finish is short, dull and slightly woolly with some dusty notes and a hint of apple jam.

Apparently a faulty bottle. As we knew beforehand the wine was supposed to be a Gewürztraminer, it was pretty obvious that there was something wrong with the wine when it didn’t show any varietal characteristics. The wine didn’t really feel particularly corked as there weren’t any obvious notes of TCA, just stuffy notes of sand dust and damp wool. It might be that there was something else wrong in the wine or it was very mildly corked that it killed the fruit and floral flavors and made it feel off. Anyways, at 25€ this specific bottle was just waste of money, unfortunately. NR (flawed)

Pale yellow-green color. Sweet, somewhat restrained and moderately fragrant nose with aromas of stony minerality, some sweet citrus notes of orange or tangerine, light evolved nutty tones, a little bit of honeyed richness, a hint of exotic spice and a touch of beeswax. The wine is broad, moderately full-bodied and dry-to-dry-ish on the palate with mellow flavors of honey, floral notes of roses, a little bit of stony minerality, light sweeter notes of orange marmalade, hints of apple and fresh pear and a touch of exotic spice. The medium acidity doesn’t really lend much freshness or sense of focus to the wine. The finish is mellow and medium in lengthy with flavors of steely minerality, some fresh apple, light notes of beeswax, a little bit of honey and floral hints of roses and white flowers.

A pleasant and quite harmonious little Gewürztraminer that shows some age, but nevertheless comes across as surprisingly youthful for its age. However, the wine feels pretty light and underwhelming for the variety. The fruit flavors are relatively understated and the wine lacks the exuberance typical of the variety. There might be a little bit of residual sugar here, but the wine feels technically dry - perhaps a little bit more of RS might’ve boosted the fruity flavors a little bit, although I’m not sure if the relatively modest acidity would’ve stood up to any more sweetness. All in all, a nice wine but ultimately a bit nondescript. Feels somewhat expensive for the quality at 23€. (86 pts.)

Quite concentrated yellow-green color with lime-green highlights. Rich, sweet-toned and vibrant nose with intense aromas of honey and beeswax, some lychee, a little bit of tangerine marmalade, light notes of sultanas and a hint of apricot. For a Gewurztraminer the nose showed surprisingly little in the way of floral tones. The wine feels full-bodied, oily and off-dry-to-medium-sweet on the palate with vibrant flavors of ripe apples and rosewater-flavored Turkish delight, some sweet notes of sugared grapefruit, light notes of beeswax, a little bit of grapey fruit, a hint of tangerine juice and a touch of cantaloupe. The medium acidity keeps the wine in balance, although the overall feel is quite soft. The finish is long and juicy with medium-sweet flavors of honey, cantaloupe, some tangerine marmalade, light sweet notes of sugared grapefruit and a hint of rosewater-flavored Turkish delight.

A wonderful, classically built and harmonious Alsatian Gewurztraminer with noticeable but not overwhelming sweetness. The wine is on the lighter end of medium-sweet, so it isn’t a full-blown dessert wine, but instead a nice, sumptuous white wine with lots of exotic flavors typical of Gewurztraminer and good sense of richness. Comes across as pretty youthful for a wine 9 years old, so I could see this wine continuing to not just keep but to improve for a good number of years more. Delicious stuff if you are a fan of these softer, sweeter Gewurztraminers. A steal at 13€. (92 pts.)

Deep, slightly concentrated yellow-green color with burnished golden yellow highlights. Perfumed but also somewhat restrained nose of musky floral character, some crushed rose petal tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light spicy notes, a floral hint of Labrador tea and a touch of grapey fruit. The wine is oily, full-bodied and medium-sweet with very textbook Alsatian Gewurztraminer taste of exotic spices, rosewater, some bitter orange tones, a little bit of perfumed floral character, light apple jam nuances, a hint of acacia honey and a touch of ripe, grapey fruit. The medium acidity really doesn’t offer counterpoint to the residual sugar sweetness nor full body, making the wine feel a bit fat and blowzy. The finish is juicy, rich and moderately long with medium-sweet flavors of honey, some bitter orange, a little bit of tangerine juice, light floral notes of roses and a hint of sweet brown spices.

A pleasant but also somewhat unctuous and flabby Gewurztraminer that has quite a bit of residual sugar sweetness but doesn’t pack enough punch to match that sweetness. The overall aromatic feel is that of a textbook Gewurztraminer, but structurally the wine is a bit too dull, making the wine come across as a bit tiring quite quickly. Due to its soft structure, the wine doesn’t feel that versatile as a food wine - the sweetness might go well with aromatic cheeses, but the lack of acidity not that much. This wine left a slightly lukewarm impression. Priced according to its quality at 15€. (86 pts.)

Luminous, pale golden yellow color with faint greenish highlights. Slightly restrained but also intensely sweet nose with fragrant aromas of honey, some bruised apple, light floral nuances of honeysuckle, a little bit of poached pear, a hint of grapey fruit and a caraway-driven touch of exotic spices. The wine is oily, noticeably spicy and moderately concentrated on the palate with a rather full body and quite intense, off-dry to almost medium-sweet flavors of apple jam, exotic spices, some grapey fruit, light floral notes of honeysuckle and rose petals and a hint of honeydew melon. The rather high acidity lends great sense of focus and intensity to the taste. The finish is quite long and slightly sweetish with rich, focused flavors of honey and apple jam, some steely mineral notes, a little bit of fruit salad, light bitter notes of exotic pungent spices and a hint of ripe grapey fruit.

A terrific, focused and surprisingly structured off-dry to slightly sweetish Gewurztraminer that is starting to show subtle signs of age, yet as a whole comes across as pretty youthful with good potential for further development. Although the wine isn’t as exuberant as some of its peers, the wine is aromatically like a textbook example of Alsatian Gewurztraminer and the interplay between the sugary sweetness and the relatively high acidity is exceptional here. A wonderful example of Alsatian Gewurztraminer and a bargain at 13,80€. (93 pts.)

Very slightly hazy bronze color. Heavily oxidized nose with aromas of bruised apple, aldehydic notes of Amontillado Sherry, some notes of sorrel, a little bit of peanut butter, light creamy tones and a hint of roasted grains. The nose reminds me quite a bit of flat, over-aged Champagnes. The wine is dry-ish, medium-bodied and rather dull on the palate with very tertiary flavors of roasted nuts, toasty brioche, some aldehydic notes of sorrel and tangy salinity, light caramel notes, a hint of burnt sugar bitterness and a dull, funky touch of penicillin. Medium-plus acidity. The finish is dull, oxidative and quite long with tertiary flavors of caramel, some roasted nuts, light mushroomy funky tones and a little bit of penicillin, an aldehydic hint of tangy salinity and a toasty touch of oven-fresh pastries.

Already past its peak and sitting firmly at the bottom of the hill. There were no typical nuances of Gewurztraminer left here and it was basically impossible to tell what the wine was or where it came from. Waste of money at 29€. NR (flawed)

Still surprisingly youthful, pale yellow-green color. Very fragrant and quite distinctive nose with seductive, characterful aromas of grated grapefruit zest, almost IPA-like floral and resinous notes of hops, a little bit of Sichuan pepper, light rosewater tones, a hint of lychee and a touch of nectarine. The wine is oily, full-bodied and rather sweet on the palate with clean, intense flavors of grapefruit marmalade, some rosewater-flavored Turkish delights, a little bit of ripe nectarine, light pineapple tones, a hint of fruit salad and a touch of lychee. The palate shows good deal of concentration, but the high acidity keeps the wine wonderfully in balance while lending good sense of structure to the mouthfeel. The finish is long, quite concentrated and slightly sticky with sweet, youthful and rather complex flavors of honey, rosewater, some apricot jam tones, a little bit of grapefruit marmalade, light pineapple nuances, a hint of fruit salad and a touch of sweet, grapey fruit.

A delicious, characterful and remarkably balanced Gewurztraminer from the sweeter end of the spectrum. Especially the nose here is something very striking as virtually everybody in the tasting commented how fragrant and unique the aroma was - and this wine was tasted in a Gewurztraminer tasting! Honestly, if I were to smell this wine from a black glass, I would guess this was a heavily dry-hopped modern IPA, not a wine! The nose is not just about the classic Gewurztraminer aromas of roses and lychee, but also shows a singular layer of almost hoppy aromas of grapefruit, resin and Sichuan pepper, grabbing one’s attention immediately. And on the palate the wine is remarkably youthful and vibrant for a wine 12 years old, speaking volumes on the aging potential here. This wine is very lovely at the moment, but I have no doubts it will only continue to improve for many more years. Terrific value at 19€. (94 pts.)

Pale, subtly red-hued coppery color. Powerful, expressive and quite sweet nose with aromas of wizened apricots, some nutty tones, a little bit of fruit cocktail, light floral notes of honeysuckle, an evolved hint of bruised apple and a touch of acacia honey. The wine is sweet, concentrated and juicy on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of orange marmalade, slightly bitter brown spices, some acacia honey, light evolved notes of chopped nuts and a little bit of bruised apple, a hint of pineapple and a touch of lychee. The rather high acidity keeps the wine surprisingly structured and nicely in balance, even if it can’t do much about the oily and slightly sticky mouthfeel. The finish is long, sweet and concentrated with complex flavors of pineapple, apricot marmalade, some honeyed tones, light floral notes of rose petals, a little bit of nutty tertiary character and a hint of fragrant and slightly bitter exotic spices.

A very bold, concentrated and balanced Gewurztraminer SGN that shows remarkable depth of flavor and captivating tertiary complexity. Apart from the orange marmalade tones, the wine doesn’t seem to be that heavy on the botrytis character, instead emphasizing the perfumed, floral varietal qualities. Terrific balance between the sweetness and the acidity. Most likely at its plateau of maturity or close to it; I’d say the wine doesn’t benefit much from further cellaring, but will definitely keep for a long time. Priced according to its quality at 26€ for a half bottle. (95 pts.)

Concentrated, deep golden yellow color. Fragrant, somewhat evolved and slightly restrained nose with layered aromas of pineapple, candied ginger, some floral notes of orange blossom, light mushroomy tones, a little bit of tertiary nuttiness, exotic hints of pear jam and ripe persimmon and a touch of smoke. The wine feels oily, moderately full-bodied and quite sweet on the palate with rather evolved flavors of cloudberry jam, some metallic notes of rusted iron, a little bit of slivered almonds, light stony mineral nuances, a hint of bitter exotic spices and a touch of pear jam. The medium-minus acidity doesn’t give much energy to the wine, making it feel a bit flat and tired. The finish is moderately sweet with quite lengthy flavors of persimmon, some steely mineral tones, a little bit of slivered almond, light cloudberry jam tones, a metallic hint of iron and a touch of candied ginger.

A pleasantly evolved Gewurztraminer SGN, but one that is lacking the youthful vibrancy of the previous bottle I had a year ago. This time the wine feels more evolved and somewhat tired in character while suffering a bit from a slightly metallic taste that wasn’t present in the previous bottle. Unlike that wine, which was surprisingly young for its age, this wine feels pretty much as old as you would expect a sweet 20-yo Gewurztraminer to be. Enjoyable, but ultimately nothing too thrilling. Priced according to its quality at 32€ for a 0,75-liter bottle. (89 pts.)

Dark, somewhat translucent and slightly hazy blackish red with a slightly evolved pomegranate hue. The nose is fragrant and slightly funky with aromas of ripe cranberries, some rustic notes of stable floor, a little bit of ripe black cherry, light bretty notes of leather saddle, a hint of lingonberry jam and a touch of wild strawberry. The wine is bright, firm and savory on the palate with a medium body and quite intense flavors of crunchy cranberries, rustic notes of barnyard, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of leathery funk, light tart notes of lingonberries, a smoky hint of phenolic spice and a touch of gravelly minerality. The wine is still wonderfully structured, thanks to the high acidity and firm, moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is savory, moderately grippy and somewhat funky with flavors of fresh black cherries, some bretty notes of barnyard and leather, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light tart notes of lingonberries, a hint of wild strawberry and a smoky touch of phenolic character.

A very serious, firm and somewhat Burgundian Moulin-à-Vent that is as far removed from those fruity glou-glou Bojos as possible. The emphasis here is obviously on ripe and quite concentrated yet not sweet old-vine fruit and quite muscular structure, not easy drinkability and nice, juicy fruit. There’s an obvious streak of bretty funk in the mix as well, but in never dominates, just adds to the complexity. All in all, this is a pretty lovely Gamay that is in a wonderful spot right now, but will continue to improve for years more. A bargain at 13€. (91 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

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Thanks. Not often we see too many Gewürz notes on WB.

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Nice TNs, Otto. Glad to see the Terlaner showed well. Alto Adige is pretty much my go-to area for GWT anymore. They are more akin to the old-time GWTs from Alsace that I learned to love. Too many from Alsace are in the Z-H style which doesn’t go with my weenies & kraut.
Tom

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Nice notes. I have not had much luck with Gewurz. It was one of those grapes I really wanted to do intellectually, because, well, it’s intriguing. But so far mostly underwhelming, which have cooled my interest.

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It’s not my favourite variety but it is an amazing match with Indian food.

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Love Gewurztraminer. Have never had any of the versions you tried, so things to look for.

To be totally honest, I have had exactly one US Gewurztraminer that I ever thought was really worth the money.

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I’m a Gewurtz fan but I never heard of those Alsatians you had, I will have to search them out. The only US Gewurtz I care for are the late harvest ones from Navarro. Thanks for the notes.

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Hoping to see this repeated with US Gewurztraminers . . .

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Well, if your preferred style is the fragrant and perfumed yet still dry and focused Gewurz, I can understand that, but from my experience, you are still more likely to find wines like those from some no-name small producers from Alsace rather than from Alto Adige (for example Loberger Gewurztraminer Vieilles Vignes is a superb, dry, fresh and precise white wine). They used to make some wonderfully fresh and precise Gewurztraminers in Alto Adige too, but many contemporary AA Gewurztraminers that I’ve tasted have been noticeably more ripe, weighty and higher in alcohol than what I prefer. I’ve found it quite difficult to find good, fresh and balanced Alto Adige Gewurztraminers, and even though this Cantina Terlan Gewurz we tasted was balanced and fully enjoyable, everybody found it still hard to believe it was technically dry because it seemed so so lush and super-ripe.

But when it comes to Gewurztraminers that aren’t fermented fully dry, I myself have found Zind-Humbrecht to be one of the best producers in that specific style. Although often quite rich and sweet, they almost invariably show good freshness, balanced acidity and great sense of minerality for both the variety and the style - for example the 2008 Clos St. Urbain Gewurz was clocking in at 64 g/l residual sugar, 9,2 g/l acidity and pH 3,5, showing exceptional balance between the sweetness and the acidity. Sure, the most extreme examples can get quite over-the-top in the sense that everything is dialed to 11, but I’ve never found then dull, flabby, soft or too high in alcohol - and I can’t say the same for many Alsatian Gewurztraminers with some RS.

2 Likes
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Judging by the frequency of notes on gerwurztraminer one would think it is the most hated variety on this board. Oh wait, pinotage seems to get even more hate.

Zind-Humbrecht used to have some powerful late harvest examples back in the day (1980’s-1990’s).

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If anyone does an American tasting, I would definitely include the Dowsett Family Gewurtz from the Celilo Vineyard in the Columbia Gorge. Excellent wine (dry) year-in and year-out. Cheers!

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Cool tasting, and some names I have no experience with. My own benchmark is Trimbach’s Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre.

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Yep, one of the best Gewurztraminers in the US and one of the best whites from WA state. Plus, Chris is a super nice guy.

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I guess I need to remember the name, If you guys say so! Although the odds me seeing any bottles seems pretty slim, as so very little US wine makes it to this side of Atlantic. [shrug.gif]