Gewürztraminer

Gewurztraminer, the most cheerful of Alsace wines, is the one most people  like best. With its flavour of lychees, it goes well with Asian - particularly Chinese - dishes. No wine is easier to identify, or simpler to enjoy, either on its own or with appropriate food.

Yet because it is claimed that  Gewurztraminer is always the same  - though it is more subtle than that - it is easy to dismiss it as boring. A good one (and some are specially good and infinitely delicate) should nevertheless soon refute that argument.

But what are the best ones? Since most Alsace wines tend to be dear, you do not want to make a  mistake. Being  quality whites, they  can take a bit of bottle age, so do not be put off by something which, if it were a Muscadet, you would suspect of being on its last legs.

Hugel’s Gewurztraminer is deservedly one of the dmost admired, but is not always as easy to find as you might expect.  Supermarkets tend to steer clear of Alsace wines, but Waitrose sells a Turckheim Gewurztraminer for £10.49 or, if you are feeling flush,  a Paul Blanck for £15.40.

Cheaper Gewurztraminers can sometimes seem rather raw and aggressive, especially if they are not from Alsace - Hungarian ones are best avoided. But M&S’s authentic Baron de Hoen Gewurz at £9.99 is a good buy and, despite its somewhat industrial label, Benoit Dreyer’s Gewurz from Naked Wines in Norfolk is a gentle specimen of its  kind, with a hint of Riesling finesse, at £13.99 full price or £10.49 to subscribers.

9 November 2014