This month we feature Gewurztraminer. You can check out this excellent wine with the Vintners Reserve Gewurztraminer being on sale in October.

Sounds German huh! Well actually it is Italian in origin. It is thought to have originated in Tramin or Temeno, Italy in the northern Aldo Adige region, near the Italian Alps.

Always hard to pronounce, but here try this guh-VURTS-trah-mee-ner. The German word gewurtz means “spiced” as these wines are known for their crisp, spicy attributes.

Gewurztraminer grapes have a long growing period with high accumulation of sugars resulting in wines of higher alcohol compared to other fruity whites like Riesling. It is not recommended to be oaked or aged in oak.

Food pairings:

Goes well with:

• aromatic spicy dishes, curry, ginger, Thai food
  

• strong cheeses, especially soft or string such as Caemembert, Muenster and Roquefort
  

• rich dishes, fatty birds
  

• quiche, frittata, one of the few wines that goes well with egg dishes
  

• Spicy food, seafood, cheese
  

• Asian food – esp. spicy (Hunan, Szechuan)
  

• Curries
  

• Ginger
  

• Ham
  

• Turkey, think Thanksgiving
  

• Roasted pork
  

• Sausage