Gewürztraminer

Gewürztraminer is the aromatic, pink-berried version of Savagnin, known as Savagnin Rose Aromatique. VIVC records its pedigree as a mutation of Savagnin Rose, and that pedigree is confirmed by markers. It is VIVC variety number 12609, its berry skin is rose, and its country of origin is Germany. The parents of Savagnin itself are unknown.

• Pedigree: mutation of Savagnin Rose, confirmed by markers
• VIVC variety number 12609; prime name Gewuerztraminer; berry skin colour rose
• Country of origin: Germany
• Parents of Savagnin itself: unknown

Traminer is the more common name for Savagnin Blanc, and Gewürztraminer is its aromatic, pink-berried version: the aromatic, pink-berried Savagnin Rose Aromatique is Gewurztraminer. Savagnin itself is the characteristic vine of the Jura, responsible most notably for vin jaune. This aromatic version came to be known as Traminer Aromatico or, in German, Gewurztraminer and sometimes Roter Traminer, and Australians have tended to use Traminer as shorthand for Gewürztraminer. In Alsace, Gewurztraminer is a particularly aromatic selection of the Traminer rose, an age-old variety in the region once known simply as Traminer, and the Klevener de Heiligenstein grown in a small area of the Barr region represents a type of this Traminer. Etymologically, Gewurztraminer means spicy, yet no single spice smells particularly like the wine: 'spicy' was used there as a synonym for 'aromatic'. In central Europe, vines called variants of Traminer go by names such as Tramini in Hungary, Traminac in Slovenia, Rusa in Romania and Mala Dinka in Bulgaria, and some of these vines may be the more aromatic Gewürztraminer.

• Traminer is the more common name for Savagnin Blanc; Gewürztraminer is its aromatic, pink-berried version
• Other names: Traminer Aromatico, Roter Traminer, and Traminer as Australian shorthand
• In Alsace: a particularly aromatic selection of the Traminer rose; Klevener de Heiligenstein, grown in a small area of the Barr region, represents a type of this Traminer
• Central European Traminer names: Tramini (Hungary), Traminac (Slovenia), Rusa (Romania), Mala Dinka (Bulgaria)

Alsace AOC in France is the most famous region for Gewurztraminer, where it produces some of the region's highest-quality grand cru wines alongside Riesling and Pinot Gris. Alsace is Gewurz's most significant home ground, although the plants grown there today were probably originally imported from Germany's Pfalz region, and the variety performs best on the heavier clay soils of the Haut-Rhin. The Alsace Grands Crus are 51 terroirs on the sub-Vosgian hills between 200 and 400 metres above sea level, and their wines account for about 5% of production. Four grape varieties are accepted in the Grand Cru appellations: Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer, with Sylvaner authorised by derogation at Zotzenberg, and co-plantation of various varieties is practised in the Altenberg of Bergheim and Kaefferkopf. One writer, Thierry Meyer, groups the grand crus by soil: marly limestone sites such as Hengst, Florimont, Mambourg and Marckrain give deep, rich and spicy wines with a good acid backbone; granite or sandstone sites such as Brand and Kessler can give aromatic and elegant wines; and limestone sites such as Furstentum, Osterberg and Zinnkoepflé give full-bodied wines with strong fruit and good acidity. Simple Gewurz wines with no origin beyond AC Alsace are usually medium bodied and either off-dry or semi-sweet, and as of the 2021 vintage, the level of sweetness must be indicated on Alsace labels using a standardised scale. Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles were officially recognised by a ministerial decree of 1 March 1984, may be added to labels of the Alsace or Alsace Grand Cru appellations, must have a particularly high sugar content when harvested, and can only be sold after ageing for 18 months. Vendanges Tardives means 'late harvest' and in Alsace typically denotes a medium to sweet wine made from extra-ripe grapes, while Sélection de Grains Nobles is obtained from grapes with noble rot. Gewurztraminer can quite easily attain the ripeness needed for these late-harvest bottlings, and one critic names Léon Beyer, Zind Humbrecht, Muré, Schlumberger and Cattin among the Alsace producers who try hardest with the variety.

• Alsace AOC is the most famous region for Gewurztraminer
• 51 Grands Crus between 200 and 400 metres on the sub-Vosgian hills, about 5% of production; Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer accepted
• Soils, in one writer's grouping: Hengst, Florimont, Mambourg and Marckrain on marly limestone; Brand and Kessler on granite or sandstone; Furstentum, Osterberg and Zinnkoepflé on limestone
• Vendanges Tardives and Sélection de Grains Nobles: ministerial decree of 1 March 1984; particularly high sugar content at harvest; sold only after 18 months of ageing
• Sweetness must be indicated on Alsace labels from the 2021 vintage, using a standardised scale
• Producers one critic names as trying hardest with Gewurztraminer: Léon Beyer, Zind Humbrecht, Muré, Schlumberger, Cattin

Germany had 1,122 hectares of Gewürztraminer in 2023, around 1% of the German vineyard area, with 508 hectares in the Palatinate (Pfalz), 233 hectares in Rheinhessen and around 137 hectares in Baden, where the focus is the Kaiserstuhl; in Saxony it is one of the regional specialities. Historical documents prove the variety's existence in Germany in the 16th century, and the Pfalz village of Rhodt has a single-varietal Gewürztraminer vineyard about 400 years old. In the vineyard, Gewürztraminer gives low yields caused by a high tendency to trickle and has a very thick, slightly reddish skin; on average its vineyards rarely achieve more than half the permitted yield per hectare. Germany's Roter Traminer is planted mainly in Baden and Pfalz, and Austria has almost as much Traminer planted as Germany, with the most successful examples coming mainly from Styria. In Italy, some fine Traminer Aromatico is produced in Alto Adige, although many of the wines are lighter-bodied and higher in acidity than their Alsace counterparts; one critic's suggested examples include Hofstatter's Kolbenhof and Cantina Terlano's Lunare.

• Germany: 1,122 ha in 2023, around 1% of the vineyard area; Pfalz 508 ha, Rheinhessen 233 ha, Baden around 137 ha
• Rhodt (Pfalz): a single-varietal Gewürztraminer vineyard about 400 years old
• Viticulture: low yields from a high tendency to trickle; very thick, slightly reddish skin
• Austria: almost as much Traminer as Germany, the most successful examples mainly from Styria
• Alto Adige: some fine Traminer Aromatico, many wines lighter-bodied and higher in acidity than in Alsace

The volumes of Gewürztraminer produced in New Zealand are tiny, and it is grown throughout the country by a handful of dedicated producers. A naturally lower acid variety, it appreciates the country's overall cooler climate and free-draining soils, and New Zealand Gewürztraminer is typically made in a dry to off-dry style, although styles can vary from bone dry to a sweet late harvest. In Gisborne, the warmer inland Patutahi subregion, home to around one-third of the region's vines, produces what New Zealand Wine calls excellent, rich Gewurztraminer with good texture and body from sloping clay and silt soils. Marlborough Gewürztraminers are highly regarded for pure, fragrant aromatics, with several producers making wines from older vines, and there are also examples from Hawke's Bay, Nelson and North Canterbury. One critic notes interesting examples from New Zealand's east coast and suggests Framingham's F-Series VT from Marlborough.

• Volumes are tiny; grown throughout the country by a handful of dedicated producers
• Typically dry to off-dry, though styles range from bone dry to sweet late harvest
• Gisborne: Patutahi, with around one-third of the region's vines, produces rich Gewurztraminer from clay and silt soils
• Marlborough: pure, fragrant aromatics, with several producers working older vines

Gewurztraminer ripens so fast it needs relatively cool sites to develop discernible perfume, which rules out many New World wine regions. One critic points to interesting examples from South Australia's Clare Valley, the cool new regions of Chile's deep south and cooler corners of North America, and considers the Pacific Northwest well suited to the variety. Canada and New York state have a little planted, and Navarro in California's Anderson Valley keeps making rare examples. In Spain, Torres of Catalonia has long grown Gewurztraminer for its Viña Esmeralda, and Viñas del Vero grows it in the high-altitude vineyards of Somontano. The variety is also cultivated in Alsace, South Tyrol, Australia and California.

• Needs relatively cool sites to develop perfume
• Interesting examples from Clare Valley, Chile's deep south and cooler corners of North America; the Pacific Northwest well suited; a little planted in Canada and New York state; Navarro in Anderson Valley
• Spain: Torres Viña Esmeralda in Catalonia; Viñas del Vero in Somontano

Gewürztraminer is one of the most aromatic grape varieties, often filling the glass with rose petal, Turkish delight and lychee, aromas linked to compounds such as geraniol and cis-rose oxide, which the variety naturally contains at higher levels. In Alsace the wine shows a powerful, complex bouquet of exotic fruits (lychees, passion fruit, pineapple, mangos), flowers (notably roses), citrus fruit and spices, and a full-bodied palate whose freshness is more discreet than in other Alsace wines. Some of the most concentrated examples show a savoury element some have likened to bacon fat, and because the grape's skin is pink, the wine can have a deep golden, sometimes copper colour. On structure, like Viognier, Gewürztraminer is often softer and more voluptuous, in contrast to high-acid varieties such as Riesling, and its wines share a relatively mild acidity, sometimes with considerable alcohol. As the variety builds up particularly high sugar levels its acid levels can fall dangerously low, so malolactic fermentation of this variety is rare. Gewurztraminer grows best in cool to moderate climates, is made in a range of styles from dry to sweet, and is typically unoaked to preserve its floral aromas. The grapes need to be harvested at perfect ripeness to avoid bitterness, high alcohol or overt sweetness, and dried fruits and honey appear when there is noble rot; very good or outstanding examples can also develop flavours of honey and dried fruit in the bottle. If excessive extraction of phenolics from the deep-coloured skins is not avoided, the wine can be slightly bitter on the finish, and some producers blend in a little Muscat to give overcropped Gewurztraminer more aroma.

• Aromas: rose petal, Turkish delight and lychee, linked to geraniol and cis-rose oxide
• Alsace bouquet: lychees, passion fruit, pineapple, mangos, roses, citrus fruit and spices
• Acidity: often softer and more voluptuous, relatively mild; malolactic fermentation rare
• Styles: dry to sweet; typically unoaked to preserve floral aromas
• Colour: deep golden, sometimes copper, from the pink skin
• Bottle development: honey and dried fruit in very good or outstanding examples

Primary sources: https://www.vivc.de/index.php?r=passport%2Fview&id=12609 ; https://www.vivc.de/index.php?r=passport%2Fview&id=17636 ; https://www.vinsalsace.com/en/tastes-and-colours/grapes-varieties/powerful-and-intense/gewurztraminer-dalsace/ ; https://www.vinsalsace.com/en/grands-crus/ ; 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.winesofgermany.com/our-wine/grape-varieties/grape-variety/120/gew%C3%BCrztraminer ; https://www.wsetglobal.com/media/13022/wset_l2wines_sessionplans_en_may2023_issue2.pdf ; https://www.wsetglobal.com/knowledge-centre/blog/2026/strawberry-pepper-and-petrol-why-wine-smells-the-way-it-does ; https://www.wsetglobal.com/knowledge-centre/blog/2026/understanding-acidity-in-wine ; https://www.nzwine.com/en/winestyles/gewurztraminer/ ; https://www.nzwine.com/en/regions/gisborne/ Reference sources: https://www.jancisrobinson.com/learn/grape-varieties/white/gewurztraminer ; https://www.jancisrobinson.com/learn/grape-varieties/white/traminer ; https://www.jancisrobinson.com/learn/grape-varieties/white/savagnin ; https://www.decanter.com/learn/what-is-gewurztraminer-like-300561/ ; https://winefolly.com/grapes/gewurztraminer/ Last verified 2026-10-26