Dry Gewurztraminer: a Cinderella Wine

                                       Alsace, France is ground-zero for world-class Gewurztraminer 

This is the last blog for the month of May on Alsace.  A final tribute to one of France's smallest wine district, this article is about Gewurztraminer----sometimes considered an "ugly step-sister wine."  The reason for this has nothing to do with its taste, but more due to the fact that many can’t even pronounce it.  (Turn on the sound of your computer to learn how to pronounce it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6H6QcFPCNI)  This fairy God mother article hopes to change your perception about "Gewurz" (as it is often referred).

            "Gewurz" is served in special green-stemmed glass only found in this part of France    

A Slipper that Doesn’t Fit 

Other than its difficult name, there are several reasons why Gewurztraminer might be the last wine chosen for the Prince’s ball.  First, it is mistakenly associated with Germany….and German wines aren’t so popular.  The best Gewurz, however, actually comes from France.   Alsace (France's far eastern wine district) is home to some killer Gewurz.  As Alsace is not typically on the average wine lover's radar screen, this is yet another reason why this wine gem remains unknown. Gewurztraminer is also often erroneously associated with sweet wine.  Wrong.  While there are some sweet renditions, but many Alsatian Gewurz are bone dry. 

                            Grand-Cru slopes of Gewurz grapes surround fairy-tale Alsatian villages

Why the Prince Should Purchase it for the Ball

Now that the reasons why Gewurztraminer is unknown have been explained, here are the reasons this stunning wine should be considered.   First, the wine is especially aromatic.  For women, its aromas are so enticing that it’s tempting not to not dab the back of one's ears with it.  Like a seductive perfume, Gewurz definitely is one of those wines that “had the Princess at bonjour.”  Intense floral aromas (think roses) are married with beguiling fragrances and tastes of exotic lychee and ginger.  The wine can also be laced with grapefruit/tangerine or pineapple depending upon how ripe the grapes were when picked. 

                                      This varietal is a perfect pairing for fish & seafood

Foods to Serve at the Ball 

Let’s explore next how dry Gewurtraminer works with food.   Both white fish and seafood pair beautifully with Gewurz.   Many foodies are stumped when choosing a wine for duck.   Gewurtz to the rescue!  Because of the wine’s ginger flavors, it also pairs well with dishes which have ginger in their recipes.   Curries and Moroccan tagines are just two examples.  Heavily spiced cuisines, such as Indian, also pair perfectly with a glass of an exotic Gewurtz.

        Europe at the time of its Christmas markets is like no other time of year you've experienced 

Princely Producers 

Alsace is a relatively small wine region, but its wines can be found in the US with a bit of diligence (especially online).  Trimbach delivers terrific quality/price at $20.   Domaine Weinbach is a stellar winery that you may want to try.   Weinbach's Cuvee Laurence is a dreamy, creamy dry Gewurz that will set you back $45-50.  Worth every penny, the wine is among the best of this varietal in Alsace.  

The Glass Slipper's Perfect Fit

Wine-Knows will be visiting Alsace the first week of December as part of our Christmas Markets of France & Germany trip.  As the Alsace region is known also as the epicenter of foie gras production (and has more Michelin star restaurants than any other region of France),  it's a gastronome's paradise.  Why not attend join this group and see if the Gewurztraminer shoe fits? 

www.WineKnowsTravel.com

France's Christmas Markets for Foodies

 

               France's Alsace region features Hansel & Gretel villages reflecting its Germanic past 

Last week Wine-Knows' 2022 trip to the Christmas Markets of Germany was featured on this Blog.  But, on the 2022 tour Wine-Knows will also be visiting two French Marchés de Noël in Alsace, France.  Alsace is a small district in eastern France which borders Germany, as well as Switzerland.  This unique region has passed back and forth between France and Germany many times over the last several centuries, and the Alsatian Christmas markets reflect this duality.  In many ways, the marchés represent the best of both countries in a prettily packaged German yuletide gift with an exquisite French culinary bow.

                                         Wine-Knows will dine at a Michelin star restaurant

Alsace is an often overlooked area of France, but foodies-in-the-know flock to this  gastronomic powerhouse.  Other than the center of Paris, Alsace has more Michelin star restaurants per square kilometer than any other country in Europe.  This northeast corner of France is a capital for foie gras.  Moreover, Alsace is a treasure trove for beautifully crafted wines.  Its Rieslings, Gewurztraminers and Pinot Gris are dry, unlike their German neighbors (although styles in Germany are shifting to drier wines).

                             Christmas markets in France have charmed locals for nearly 500 years           

Strasbourg, the capitol of Alsace, is the site of one of Europe’s oldest Christmas markets.  Operating since 1570, Strasbourg’s market is regarded as one of the very best in Europe.  It’s not just one big market but eleven different smaller markets spread out over the entire historical center of this extraordinary town.  (One of these markets is just for children.)  The Christmas tree in front of city hall is >100 feet tall and all ten stories of it are decked out in full regalia.  There’s a mind-boggling assortment of handcrafted items for the holiday season including everything one could ever dream of to decorate a Christmas tree or to deck the halls.  For the food-lover, however, it’s nirvana.

                         Why not splurge with a decadent slice of foie gras from this vendor at the market?

Santa’s elves could seriously eat their way across Strasbourg through the Christmas markets.  No doubt they would begin their culinary journey with foie gras, one of the culinary treasures of Alsace.  The Christmas marchés of Strasbourg are filled with beaucoup vendors selling foie gras.  Truly decadent elves might want to indulge in truffle studded foie gras, or purchase a magnificently wrapped basket containing both goose and duck foie gras, caviar, and a bottle of a luscious Alsatian wine.

                 Light-as-air Kougelhofts come in varying sizes, but all are made in the same shape

All of the Christmas markets in Strasbourg sell Alsace’s iconic Kougelhoft, an ethereal yeast-based cake baked in a tall decorative bundt-type mold.  A traditional Germanic recipe, Kougelhoft is featured in miniature single servings, as well as gigantic ones that could feed a family of 20 for Christmas dinner.  The markets also feature vendors selling brightly colored Kougelhoft molds that are hand-painted.

                 Bring an extra suitcase to take home some of these one of a kind decorations

The second Marché de Noël Wine-Knows will visit in 2022 is located in the charming Hansel and Gretel village of Colmar.   While Strasbourg is a huge city, Alsace's Colmar is just the right size for strolling.  Its six small marches, spread out over a half of a mile walk along a meandering river, are like a Christmas dream. 

                An Alsatian specialty called Flammekeuche marries the best of France & Germany

Flammekeuche is sold by several vendors at Colmar's Christmas market.  An Alsatian version of pizza without the tomatoes, this one has a paper thin crust.  The top reflects the French DNA and France’s love affair with cheese.  In this case it’s topped with the area’s famous Muenster cheese (in another world from the insipid  mass-produced muenster cheese sold in the USA).   For the other chromosome of its German past, flammekeuche is topped with ham or bacon.

                              Gingerbread cookies feature a multitude of yummy spices

One can find plenty of Christmas stalls in Colmar selling homemade pain d’epices, spice bread.  A classical dessert of Germanic culinary roots, pain d’epices is Alsace’s rendition of gingerbread.  At the Christmas market this bread is also made as a cookie in all shapes of the yuletide season.  The cookies pair perfectly with Alsace’s Christmas market hot spiced wine drink, vin chaud.

                  Colmar's Christmas markets meander through the historic town center

For more information on Wine-Knows’ 2022 trip to the Christmas markets of France and Germany, the trip is showcased on our website:

http://www.wineknowstravel.com/christmas-market-itinerary/

 Joyeux Noël