Grape Background

Grape Origins [1]

 The Traminer grape has a wide variety of phenotypes. This means that two grapes that are both genetically Traminer can look and taste significantly different.  This is the case of the pink-skinned, highly aromatic Gewurztraminer, which is genetically identical to the green-skinned, not particularly aromatic Traminer grape.  Though the complicated genetics of the Traminer grape were not always understood, it was suspected.  This understanding is seen in the grapes nomenclature as “Gewurz” means 'spicy' in German and refers to Gewurz(traminer)’s aromatic qualities. 

Traminer was originally thought to originate from the village of Tramin/Termeno in the Südtirol/Trentino Alps of Alto Adige in northern Italy, however genetic evidence points to Traminer originating from somewhere between northeast France and southeast Germany.   The grape was a result of a natural cross between Pinot and an unknown variety, or through a natural cross between two more ancient, undetermined and most likely extinct varieties.  

​The first documentation of Traminer was in 1349, however Gewurztraminer first appears in the historical record in Germany in 1827. [2]  Gewurztraminer was first mentioned in Alsace in 1886.

Growing Characteristics [3]

  • Common Mutations
  • Climate / Rainfall/  Soil
  • Disease
  • Harvest
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Common Mutations: Same DNA Profile
  • None
  • Climate/Temperature: Winkler Region Ib to Region II.  Cool climates help preserve the grape’s acidity.
  • ​ Wind Tolerance: Grenache is a wind-tolerant varietal. This has allowed it to do well in its homeland of the Mediterranean given the Mistral Wind, a strong, cold, northwesterly wind that blows from southern France and funnels through the Gulf of Lion.
  • Rainfall: The varietal can tolerate as little 10 inches per year of rainfall and makes better wine when under water stress. Too much rainfall or irrigation can cause losses in potency, complexity and flavors.
  • Soil:​  Gewurztraminer grows best in clay soils with a high alkaline content (limestone and calcareous soil). Alkalinity helps to protect what little acidity the grape has.  When found on granite and other non-alkaline soils, the flavor is rounded due to lower acidity.
  • Prone to coulure (flowers fall off easily) which makes for varying yields.
  • Susceptible to botrytis. 
Harvest
  • Budding:  Early bud break makes it sensitive to frost.
  • Ripening: Ripens mid-season.  
  • Though vine growth is vigorous, the varietal is not high yielding.
  • Harvest Technique
    • Hand harvesting is difficult due to short bunch stems. Canopy shaking is relatively easy, which makes for the fruit to be removed mostly as single berries and some cluster parts.
  • Titratable Acidity (TA):  0.6–0.9 percent
  • Brix: 20-24° Brix (ABV potential is 11.5%-14.5%)
  • pH: Harvest pH 2.9-3.2, Final pH 3.2-3.4

Wine Styles

Winemaking [4]

Protective wine making is used to preserve the fresh fruit notes of Grenache wines.
  • Skin and Stem
  • Fermentation 
  • Malolactic Ferm
  • Blending
  • Maturation
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No Skin Contact
  • Fermentation Temperature: (Below or 59°F (15°C)  Like other aromatic wines, slow and low temperatures help to retain aroma.  
  • Fermentation Vessel: Stainless steel and cement are common, as the varietal oxidizes easily.  Old oak is traditionally used in Alsace.  
  • Residual sugar is occasionally left to produce semi-dry styles. ​
​

  • No malolactic fermentation to avoid reducing acidity further.
*Some single varietal wines may enhance aromas with a touch of muscat
Oak aging is not typical. 

Wine Styles and Blends

  • Wine Characteristics: Single Varietal
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​ Single Varietal Styles
  • ​Dry (Trocken)
  • Off-dry/Semi-Dry (Halbtrocken)
  • Sweet styles
    • Late Harvest “vendange tardive”
    • Botrytized: Selection de Grains Nobles
  • *Some single varietal wines may cheat aromas with a touch of muscat, but not enough to be called a blend. 

Taste
  • Sugar: Dry to sweet depending on style
  • Body: Medium
  • Tannins: None
  • Acidity: Low to Medium-Low
  • ABV:  Medium to High (13-15%)
  • Flavors: Lychee, peach, honey orange zest, rose, ginger, grapefruit, pineapple, smoke

Serving Suggestions

White Table Wine Serving and Food Pairings

  • Temperature:  38 to 45 ºF 
  • Glass Type: White Wine Glass
  • Decant: No
  • Cellar: 3-5 years
  • Protein
  • Fruits & Vegs
  • Herbs and Spices 
  • ​Cheese
  • ​Desserts
  • Culinary Styles
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  • Foie Gras, Roast Goose or Roast Duck
  • Cured and glazed meat like bacon and honey glazed ham.
  • Shellfish
  • Vegetables:  Sweet vegetables, sweet squashes like pumpkin or kabocha
  • Fruit; Lime, lilikoi, Ripe mango, pear, pineapple, tangerine, raspberries. ​
  • Spices: Star Anise, Chile peppers, Cumin, Coriander, Cinnamon, Clove, Ginger, Turmeric
  • Herbs: Cilantro, lemongrass, rose/rosewater 
  • Aromatic soft cheese including Munster (Classic Alsace pairing), Maroilles or Livarot.
  • Apple pie
  • Baking spice driven pastries
Styles
  • Alsatian Cuisine
  • Szechuan Cuisine
  • Indian Curry, especially with New World styles of Gewurztraminer

Growing Regions

Single Varietal Regions

Other Notable Growing Regions

Germany:
  • Pfalz
  • Mosel 
Italy 
  • Trentino-Alto Adige (known as South Tyrol in English)
    ​(Gewurztraminer wines from this region are not currently available in Hawaii)
California:
  • Sonoma AVA
  • Monterey

Washington
  • Columbia Valley AVA
 Citation and Resources

  1. Vouillamoz, José. Origine del Gewürztraminer: il DNA incontra la storia. Südtirol Wein/ Alto Adige Wine. Accessed February 2, 2021. http://www.suedtirolwein.com/media/4cec1f17-de66-4e13-9e75-9befd75d2a7c/jose-vouillamoz.pdf. 
  2. Sefc, K. M., H. Steinkellner, J. Glössl, S. Kampfer, and F. Regner. “Reconstruction of a Grapevine Pedigree by Microsatellite Analysis.” Theoretical and Applied Genetics 97, no. 1-2 (1998): 227–31. https://www.academia.edu/27433104/Reconstruction_of_a_grapevine_pedigree_by_microsatellite_analysis
  3.  Wine Grape Varieties in California: Gewürztraminer. University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, 2003. http://iv.ucdavis.edu/files/24332.pdf 
  4. Spaziani, Gene. Gewurztraminer: Varietal Focus. WineMakerMag.com. Accessed February 8, 2021. https://winemakermag.com/article/321-gewurztraminer-varietal-focus 


Additional Reading
Ong, Peter K. C.; Acree, Terry E. (1999). "Similarities in the Aroma Chemistry of Gewürztraminer Variety Wines and Lychee (Litchi chinesis Sonn.) Fruit". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 47 (2): 665–670. doi:10.1021/jf980452j. PMID 10563950. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/jf980452j