First learn to say ‘Gewürz’

Spring is a reliably beautiful season on Capitol Hill. While I appreciate the tulips and magnolias, the flowers I most appreciate after a long winter are of the liquid variety: aromatic Gewürztraminers.

Gewürztraminer, properly pronounced guh-VERTS-trah-mee-ner, is more commonly referred to by its nickname in the wine community, Gewürz (guh-VERTS). The name literally means “spiced or perfumed Traminer,” Traminer being a distant relative of Gewürz varietals.

These wines are uniquely bold, both in the intensity of their aroma and the array of distinctive notes they can exhibit. Bouquet is a word sometimes used to define the fragrance of a wine, and it’s never more fitting than when describing a Gewürz. 

Though Gewürz’s skin is grayish-pink on the vine, the grapes produce a liquid that is dark yellow with a copper tone. The thick skins contribute to full-bodied wines that are round on the palate with an oily texture.

I often encourage novice wine drinkers who are reluctant to identify distinguishing traits to start with a Gewürz because they are so expressive. Floral notes can include rose petals, gardenia, honeysuckle, geranium, acacia, verbena and violets. Spices fall into the vanilla, gingerbread, clove and cinnamon range. Fruit flavors span lychees, peaches, apricots, mangos and even bananas.

Although countless factors determine the individual qualities of each wine — everything from soil to a winemaker’s intent — average temperatures during the growing cycle have a lot of influence on a Gewürz’s overall character. When the vintage is cooler, the wines become more floral, while warmer conditions result in more tropical flavors.

Gewürztraminers by name alone are daunting, and when found on the labels from their homeland of Germany and Austria, they become even more so. German labels contain a lot of information. While many other countries or regions will list only the producer, vintage, region, and country, German labels will state the quality level of the wine, the grape, the vineyard and a “style indication.”

For those of you interested in a primer on the nuances of the official quality and style classifications among Deutscher Tafelwein, Landwein, Qualitätswein and Qualitätswein mit Prädikat, Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Eiswein and Trockenbeerenauslese, please feel free to contact me directly. If that sounds like too much to swallow, you’re in luck: American producers in California, Oregon and Washington are now making high-quality domestic Gewürzes with easy-to-understand labels.

I like the 2008 Thomas Fogarty Gewurztraminer from Monterey County ($18); a full bouquet of honeysuckle rose petals and a hint of jasmine are followed by a balance of smooth minerality and bright acidity, ending in a long, mouth-watering finish.  

Sweeter-style Gewürzes are the perfect pairing to spicy Asian cuisine, while dry versions like the Fogarty go well with smoked salmon, ham and turkey — a perfect complement to Mother’s Day brunch.

Derek M. LaVallee, director of public relations and public affairs at Kemp Goldberg Partners and a certified wine buff, can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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