| Gewürztraminer (Ger-vurts-tra-mee-ner)
wines. France has achieved the most
success in producing wines from this grape, although
its history began in Italian village of Termeno
in the northeastern region of Alto Adige that is in
Tyrollean Alps and has a German name. Among houses
that succeed in producing Gewürztraminer
include Alsace (after Riesling it is the most planted
grape there), Léon Beyer, Zind-Humbrecht and
Schlumberger. Gewürztraminer began
to gain more popularity, once vines were planted in
New Zeland and USA. Other famous countries where it is
also grown are Canada, Switzerland and Israel.
Eastern European countries grow these vines as well, but
are not that famous. Wines come better from the grapes
grown in cooler climates. These are very aromatic grapes
with pink to red skin color that make white wines.
Wines themselves vary in color as well from light
to dark golden yellow with a copper, gold and peach
undertones. Gewürztraminer is a full-bodied wine with a
strong exotic lychee and nut flavors (actually
lychee has the same odorant compaunds). It is quite
oily in texture and is usually dry unless finished with
the touch of residual sugar. Wines with added sugar are
fabulous sweet dessert wines. Dry varieties have a
palette of aromas including (but not ending the list)
floral, especially rose petals, passion fruit and
even having parfume scents and in most ripe examples
smelling of bacon fat. Strong aromas make them perfect
with cheeses,oily food, like salmon and Asian dishes due
to their own strong flavor. Dessert wines are some of the
best, probably, as sweetness combined with aromatic
flavors makes a sitting really enjoyable. Sweet
Gewürztraminer is perfect match to fruits making
both to complement each other. It also suits
well to white chocolate and its
varieties.
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