The name literally means spice
from Tramin. This refers to the fact that the wine was made in Tramin (South Tyrol,
northern Italy)
and that the grape has a spicy flavour.
It is now typically grown in the Alsace region of France, Germany,
New
Zealand, Australia,
California,
the Okanagan Valley of British
Columbia Canada,
the Niagara Peninsula, north shore Lake Erie
and Prince Edward County wine regions of Ontario Canada, Caddo County, Oklahoma, and the Finger
Lakes Region of New York. This is also a native grape to Trentino Adige, a
higher altitude region in NE Italy. Unlike many Italian wines that receive
Slovenian oak, this wine is aged in Austrian Oak. Blue Ridge Vineyard in Botetourt County, Virginia introduced Gewürztraminer
to the Shenandoah Valley APA in 1985.
The characteristic of the wine,
rather than any specific spice, is that there is a strong smell of lychees on the bouquet. This
characteristic aroma means that Gewürztraminer is classified as an aromatic
wine grape. As such it is one of the few wines that is suitable to be enjoyed
with curry and
other Asian foods. It also goes well with Munster
cheese, and fleshy, fatty (oily) wild game.
It is believed to be related to Viognier,
another aromatic grape. It is not uncommon to notice some spritzig (fine
bubbles on the inside of the glass).
The difference between the grape
(Traminer/Savagnin/Savagnin
Rosé) and Gewürztraminer is very small. The Office Internationale de la Vigne
et du Vin states them to be extremely similar but separate. Traminer originated
in Alto Adige village in Tramin. It is recorded that it was grown there from about year
1000 up until about the 16th century. It moved to Alsace through Pfalz where it got
Gewürz added to its name, it was adopted in Alsace in 1870. In 1973 the name
Traminer was discontinued in Alsace except for in the Heiligensten area.