Riesling vs Gewurztraminer
Two Alsace Grand Cru grapes pulling in opposite directions: Riesling is built on high acidity, Gewürztraminer on full body, milder acidity, and a perfume of lychee and roses.
Riesling and Gewürztraminer are both permitted in the Alsace Grand Cru appellations, whose 51 sites were classified between 1975 and 2007 according to the Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins d'Alsace (CIVA), and the draft Alsace Grand Cru specification that INAO put to national opposition in September 2024 allows both to carry the Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles mentions. In the glass they pull in opposite directions. WSET notes that Riesling retains its high acidity long into the growing season and makes wines that range from completely dry to lusciously sweet. CIVA describes Gewürztraminer as full-bodied, with a freshness more discreet than in other Alsace wines and a nose of exotic fruits such as lychee, flowers (notably roses), citrus and spice. Decanter's Thierry Meyer notes that Gewürztraminer does not have as much acidity as Riesling, and that, like Riesling, it is transparent to its terroir.
According to WSET, the first written reference to Riesling dates from 13 March 1435, when a winery in Rüsselsheim invoiced Count John IV of Katzenelnbogen for six vines of Riesling. DNA fingerprinting by Ferdinand Regner established that one parent is Gouais blanc (Weißer Heunisch) and the other is a cross between a wild vine and Traminer.
CIVA describes Gewürztraminer as a particularly aromatic selection of the Traminer rose, a variety long recognised in Alsace, and notes that the name means spicy. Wines of Germany calls it one of the oldest grape varieties still cultivated, notes that it is disputed whether the village of Tramin in South Tyrol indicates its origin, and records that German documents prove the variety's existence in the 16th century.
WSET notes that Riesling buds late, which limits the threat of spring frost in Germany's cool climate. Wines of Germany calls it a slowly ripening variety suited to northern growing regions, demanding on site but not on soil, and Decanter calls it a cool-climate variety par excellence.
Wines of Germany notes that Gewürztraminer has a very thick, slightly reddish skin and a strong tendency to shed blossoms or small berries, so yields are often low, vary from vintage to vintage, and rarely reach more than half the permitted yield per hectare. Decanter's Thierry Meyer writes that the grapes need to be harvested at perfect ripeness to avoid bitterness, high alcohol or overt sweetness.
Wines of Germany reports 24,233 hectares of Riesling in Germany in 2024, about 45% of the world's Riesling, and names the Pfalz as the largest German Riesling region, followed by Rheinhessen and the Mosel. In Alsace, CIVA records that Riesling reached the top position among production areas after the 1960s. Decanter names the Danube basin, in particular Lower Austria's Wachau, Kremstal and Kamptal, as Riesling's second most important habitat after the Rhine basin, and singles out the Eden and Clare Valleys in South Australia.
Wines of Germany reports 1,122 hectares of Gewürztraminer in Germany in 2023, around 1% of the German vineyard area, planted in the Pfalz, Rheinhessen and Baden (with a focus on the Kaiserstuhl), and notes that the variety is also grown in Alsace, South Tyrol, Australia and California. Decanter's Thierry Meyer calls Gewürztraminer Alsace's most distinctive yet underrated grape variety.
WSET describes Riesling moving, as the grapes ripen, from white blossom and citrus (lemon and lime) through stone fruit (peach and nectarine) to ripe tropical notes (pineapple and mango). Wines of Germany describes the typical Riesling as predominantly peach or apple on the nose and notes that age-ripened wines often have a petrol tone. CIVA lists lemon, grapefruit, peach, pear, white flowers and lime blossom for Alsace Riesling, with mineral notes (flint, kerosene) depending on the soil.
CIVA describes a powerful, complex bouquet of exotic fruits (lychees, passion fruit, pineapple, mangos), flowers (notably roses), citrus fruit and spices. Decanter's Thierry Meyer describes aromas ranging from rose to apricot kernel and tropical fruits, with pepper and sweet spices, and dried fruits and honey when there is noble rot. Wines of Germany adds roses in bloom, acacia blossom, violets, honey, marzipan, quince jelly, bitter orange and passion fruit.
WSET notes that Riesling's high acidity remains in both dry and sweet styles. In its example, fully fermented late-harvest grapes give a dry wine of possibly 13% abv, while stopping fermentation early leaves a sweet wine of around 8% abv; WSET's rule of thumb is that a German Riesling above 12% abv is likely to be dry. Decanter describes Mosel Riesling as having piercingly fresh acidity and relatively moderate alcohol, and Alsace Riesling as full-bodied, textured and dry.
CIVA describes Gewürztraminer as full-bodied yet delicate, with a dense structure sustained by a freshness more discreet than in other Alsace wines. Wines of Germany notes a relatively mild acidity, sometimes with considerable alcohol content. Decanter's Thierry Meyer writes that simple Gewürztraminer with no origin beyond AC Alsace is usually medium-bodied, off-dry or semi-sweet, with a slightly bitter finish.
WSET explains that a winemaker can ferment all the sugar for a dry wine or stop fermentation early to keep residual sugar, and that this is possible because Riesling's acidity remains in both styles. Wines of Germany notes that some Riesling is matured in traditional wooden barrels and that its natural acidity suits sparkling wine.
Decanter's Thierry Meyer notes that it can be tricky to judge an Alsace Gewürztraminer's sweetness from the bottle, that most good producers keep the sweetness level of each cuvée the same from vintage to vintage, and that some indicate sweetness on the back label.
In Germany, WSET lists six Prädikat levels (Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese and Eiswein). A Trocken wine can hold no more than 4 g/l of residual sugar, or up to 9 g/l if residual sugar does not exceed total acidity by more than 2 g/l, and the VDP's Grosses Gewächs designates dry wine from a Grosse Lage site. In Alsace, the draft Alsace Grand Cru specification that INAO put to national opposition in September 2024 permits Riesling as a single-variety Grand Cru wine and for the Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles mentions.
CIVA records that Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles were recognised by ministerial decree on 1 March 1984, can be added to Alsace or Alsace Grand Cru labels, and can only be sold after 18 months of ageing. INAO's draft Alsace Grand Cru specification (put to national opposition in September 2024) restricts both mentions to Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Gris and the Muscats, and sets a higher minimum grape sugar for Gewürztraminer: 270 g/l for Vendanges Tardives and 306 g/l for Sélection de Grains Nobles, against 244 g/l and 276 g/l for Riesling.
Decanter writes that the Mosel's mainly weathered Devonian slate soils impart a mineral character, and Wines of Germany notes that Rieslings from slate soils are said to have a mineral note. CIVA describes the diversity of Alsace terroirs as ideal for Riesling, which it calls a transparent veil through which terroir can be expressed.
Decanter's Thierry Meyer writes that marly limestone Grands Crus such as Hengst, Florimont, Mambourg and Marckrain give deep, rich and spicy wines with a good acid backbone, while granite or sandstone Grands Crus such as Brand and Kessler can give aromatic, elegant wines with lots of fruit. CIVA calls Grand Cru Goldert, the only Alsace terroir whose substrate is composed only of marine oolithic limestone, a Gewürztraminer terroir par excellence, and records that Riesling first appeared there in 1930.
CIVA pairs Alsace Riesling with delicate white fish, shellfish and oysters, with poultry and white meats in sauce, and with goat and sheep milk cheeses. For German Riesling, WSET suggests Kabinett as an aperitif or with light seafood dishes and salads, Spätlese with spicy foods and soft cheeses, and Auslese with rich desserts, foie gras and strong blue cheese.
CIVA pairs Gewürztraminer with spiced Asian, Indian, Mexican and Moroccan dishes and with strong cheeses such as Munster, Maroilles, Pont-l'Évêque and Livarot. Decanter's Thierry Meyer calls Alsatian Munster the classic cheese match and suggests drier styles with spicy food from Asia, North Africa, India or Latin America, and CIVA pairs Vendanges Tardives with foie gras.
Reach for Riesling when you want high acidity across the full sweetness range, from a dry German Trocken to a botrytised Beerenauslese or Trockenbeerenauslese. Reach for Gewürztraminer when you want fuller body, milder acidity, and a perfume of lychee and roses that CIVA pairs with Munster and with spiced Asian, Indian, Mexican and Moroccan dishes. In Alsace the two share one framework: the draft Alsace Grand Cru specification that INAO put to national opposition in September 2024 permits both as single-variety wines and for the Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles mentions, with a higher minimum grape sugar set for Gewürztraminer.
- Acidity is the clearest divider: WSET notes that Riesling keeps its high acidity in both dry and sweet styles, while Decanter's Thierry Meyer notes Gewürztraminer does not have as much acidity as Riesling and Wines of Germany calls its acidity relatively mild.
- Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles were recognised by ministerial decree on 1 March 1984 (CIVA); INAO's draft Alsace Grand Cru specification (put to national opposition in September 2024) restricts them to Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Gris and the Muscats.
- INAO minimum grape sugar, Alsace Grand Cru (draft specification put to national opposition in September 2024): Vendanges Tardives 270 g/l for Gewürztraminer vs 244 g/l for Riesling; Sélection de Grains Nobles 306 g/l vs 276 g/l.
- German plantings per Wines of Germany: Riesling 24,233 ha in 2024 (about 45% of the world's Riesling); Gewürztraminer 1,122 ha in 2023 (around 1% of the German vineyard area).
- Aroma markers: CIVA lists lychee, passion fruit, roses, citrus and spice for Gewürztraminer; Wines of Germany notes that age-ripened Riesling often has a petrol tone and that slate-grown Riesling is said to have a mineral note.
Sources and last verified
Sources: https://extranet.inao.gouv.fr/fichier/pno-cdc-Alsacegrandcru-cn240911.pdf, https://www.wsetglobal.com/knowledge-centre/blog/2024/july/17/understanding-riesling-in-germany, https://www.vinsalsace.com/en/tastes-and-colours/grapes-varieties/powerful-and-intense/gewurztraminer-dalsace/, https://www.winesofgermany.com/our-wine/grape-varieties/grape-variety/120/gew%C3%BCrztraminer, https://www.vinsalsace.com/en/grands-crus/, https://www.decanter.com/learn/what-is-gewurztraminer-like-300561/, https://www.wsetglobal.com/knowledge-centre/blog/2025/decoding-german-riesling-a-guide-to-quality-and-styles, https://www.winesofgermany.com/our-wine/grape-varieties/grape-variety/105/riesling, https://www.decanter.com/wine/grape-varieties/riesling/, https://www.vinsalsace.com/en/tastes-and-colours/grapes-varieties/fresh-and-dry/riesling-dalsace/, https://www.vinsalsace.com/en/tastes-and-colours/aoc/vendanges-tardives/, https://www.vinsalsace.com/en/tastes-and-colours/aoc/selection-de-grains-nobles/, https://www.vinsalsace.com/en/grands-crus/goldert/, https://www.vinsalsace.com/en/tastes-and-colours/grapes-varieties/sweet-and-dessert/vendanges-tardives/. Last verified 2026-09-25.
