Contents
Gewürztraminer is a controversial wine. Sommeliers consider it too “frank” – notes of rose, ripe fruit, lychee, peach are clearly felt in the bouquet. On the other hand, for beginners, this piquant wine can be quite difficult due to its rich original taste with many nuances and shades. The drink has a lot of both fans and critics.
History
The variety belongs to the Traminer family, which appeared, apparently, in the XNUMXth century in the territory of modern Italy in the village of Tramin. This grape has an unstable genome, easily mutates and crosses, so it is difficult to accurately trace the history of development. The situation is further aggravated by the fact that the name has many synonyms, and some researchers believe that the Traminer variety is genetically identical to the Sauvignon Blanc grape.
The modern version of the German name translates as “fragrant Traminer”, and the berries of the “Red Traminer” are considered the predecessor (the progenitor of this family had light green fruits).
Variety synonyms
Depending on the country of origin, the same drink may be hidden under different names. The following names are found on the market:
- Muscat Traminer;
- Perfume-traminer;
- Sauvignon;
- Rother Weltliner;
- Mala Dinka:
- Drumin:
- Pinat Cervena:
- Livora, etc.
In addition, there are many clones: Frankish, Gringet, Heida, Formentin, etc.
Features
The variety has pale pink or brick red berries. Due to the high sugar content, it is very important not to “overcook” the vine so that the acidity in the wine can be felt. On the other hand, it is also impossible to harvest ahead of time: the drink will turn out dull and slurred.
Gewürztraminer is relatively resistant to some grape diseases, in particular powdery mildew and gray rot, but is easily infected by the grapevine leafworm. The variety is capricious: it forms ovaries early, and therefore is afraid of frost, does not tolerate excessively hot climates and chalky soils.
The vines produce a very modest harvest, so a rather watery “spicy Traminer” is sometimes found on the market – this means that the winemaker was trying to get more production from a meager supply. The variety loves fertile lands along the banks of rivers, a temperate climate and dry warm weather.
Gewürztraminer wines are popular throughout Europe, but German Alsace is deservedly considered their homeland: it is here that the conditions for making the drink are optimal. The wine turns out to be truly fragrant, fragrant and rich. “Spicy Traminer” occupies 19% of all vineyards in the region, second only to Riesling, which has 23%.
In addition to Germany, Gewürztraminer is cultivated in France, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Italy, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Israel, and some American states. Despite the fact that this is a Western European variety, there are small vineyards of “fragrant Traminer” in the CIS countries, in particular in Russia and Ukraine.
Regional differences
Since Gewurztraminer is a rather capricious variety, attempts were made at the beginning of the XNUMXth century to cross it with other grapes in order to obtain the same aromatic, but less “problematic” wine. As a result, many “derivatives” were born: Würzer, Sentimer, Perlet and others. In Australia, this wine is often produced under older names such as Muscat Traminer. The drink leaves much to be desired, however, in the cool regions of the country today quite decent wine is made, which does not claim honorable places in wine cellars, but can brighten up dinner.
In France, there is a bias towards dessert “performance”, although Gewürztraminer can be anything here: both dry and sweet. In Germany, they adhere to a dry style, and in Italy, this wine has a peculiar bouquet, with notes of citrus zest, lemongrass and meadow grasses.
How and with what to drink Gewürztraminer wine
Gewürztraminer is a refreshing light golden wine. Its taste largely depends on the art of the winemaker and the timing of the harvest: under adverse conditions, a heavy oily drink with bitterness is obtained. On the other hand, there are often cases of too bland Gewurztraminer, so you should carefully choose the wine for the feast. Trustworthy, in particular, manufacturers Leon Beyer and Trimbach.
The recommended serving temperature is 12-16°C. It is difficult to find a gastronomic pair with Gewürztraminer wine. Best of all, it goes either as an aperitif or after a meal, with pâtés and dense cheeses. Depending on the country, Gewurztraminer is eaten with smoked fish, Chinese and Japanese dishes, even sweet strudel.