Alsace makes Gewurztraminer in a way nowhere else quite does: a grape that turns pink in the vineyard and gives wines that smell like a flower shop and a fruit stall at the same time. Pierre Sparr bottles this one as a Grande Réserve, from the Alsace AOC, in the far northeast of France where the vineyards run along the Vosges foothills.
- Gewurztraminer, the aromatic grape of Alsace.
- Alsace AOC, France's most varietal-labelled region.
- 2020 vintage, 13% ABV, 750ml.
- Off-dry, full-bodied, medium acidity, low tannin.
- Lychee, rose petal, ginger and honey.
How it is made
Alsace is the one major French wine region that puts the grape on the label instead of the village, and Gewurztraminer is the grape it is proudest of. The variety is a mutation of Traminer, and the "Gewurz" in front of it is German for spice, a name it earned. It ripens to high sugar and low acidity, which is why so many Alsace versions end up off-dry rather than bone dry.
How it tastes
Lychee comes first, then rose petal, then a ginger warmth that keeps the fruit from turning sweet. There is honey in the middle and a full, almost oily weight on the tongue. The acidity is only medium, so the wine sits round rather than sharp, and it finishes with that faint spice again. Low tannin, as white wines go.
Where it comes from
Alsace sits against the Vosges mountains, sheltered from rain, one of the driest and sunniest corners of France. The vineyards climb the eastern slopes on granite, limestone, clay and sandstone, and the soils change from village to village. Gewurztraminer is one of the four noble varieties of the region, alongside Riesling, Pinot Gris and Muscat.
Good to know
Gewurztraminer is one of the few white grapes that smells stronger than it tastes, which is why it is so often described by people who do not usually describe wine. The grape's pink skins are a giveaway in the vineyard, and the wines made from it are among the most recognisable in the world on smell alone.
