Riesling vs Gerwurztraminer
Imagine you’re just learning about wine.
At this stage, you’re getting excited and energized about understanding what makes one grape variety different from another grape variety.
Because both Riesling and Gewurztraminer have a vaguely exotic aroma, they confuse many people.
Riesling and Gewurztraminer have a vaguely exotic aroma, they confuse many people. . Others ask if Gewurztraminer is dry or sweet (it can be both, but most often “off-dry” with varying amounts of residual sugar.)Often, people are curious how to pronounce Gewurztraminer.
Riesling Vs Gewurztraminer : White Aromatic Grape Varieties
One of the most important things you can do when beginning your wine journey is to classify white grapes into two categories.
In short, they are aromatic grape varieties, as compared to grape varieties that are not aromatic.
Chardonnay is an excellent example of a grape variety that is not aromatic.
Even though people often smell aromas like butter, popcorn, vanilla, and toast when smelling a Chardonnay wine. But it’s not the Chardonnay grape variety that is aromatic.
It is the way it is vinified in the winery.
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With Chardonnay (and other grapes as well) this can mean malolactic fermentation (responsible for the buttery aromas) as well as toast and vanilla. These aromas are usually because of aging in French oak barrels, and fermentation in French oak.
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Riesling Vs Gewurztraminer
As you continue your wine study, you will find many aromatic grape varieties.
This article will focus on Riesling and Gewurztraminer, and how to tell them apart.
… A Story From 2005
Seasoned wine students may find this a curious lesson.
Yet in 2005, during my very first week in the Level 3 Advanced for the Wine and Spirits Educational Trust, I remember spending an afternoon trying to understand the differences.
Looking back now at that distant period, it’s hard for me to imagine why I needed to devote an entire afternoon to this Riesling vs. Gewurztraminer exercise.
This exercise took place over 15 years ago, before years and years of study in the various educational wine programs.
But I do remember that visit to the wine shop, way back – fifteen years ago – in 2005.
I pranced home with my bottle of Gewurztraminer and Riesling.
Both wines shared the same recent vintage, same producer, and same price tag to keep as many factors as possible the same.
For learning about wine, it’s useful to contrast two grape varieties that grow in the same region, and in the same country, together.
So for this exercise, both wines were from Alsace, France
Riesling Vs Gewurztraminer: Alsace, France
Alsace is a charming wine-growing region in France in the shadow of the Vosges Mountains.
The central village, even today, looks like an etching from a book of faerie tales from Hans Christian Anderson.
The people speak both German and French, since over the centuries Alsace had been
“won” in war at different times in history.
Alsace producers often grow both the Gewurztraminer and Riesling grape variety.
These two varieties, along with Pinot Gris and Muscat, make up the “noble grape varieties of Alsace.” An impressive deal of excellent Pinot Blanc grows in Alsace.
Riesling Vs Gewurztraminer : Comparison
In re-enacting the tasting, I choose again two wines from the same Alsace producer from recent vintages. (note: the Riesling is a year older)
The wines:
Pierre Sparr Gewürztraminer Grand Reserve 2017
Pierre Sparr Riesling Grand Reserve 2016
Gewurztraminer : The Color
The Gewurztraminer is more of a deep gold color when compared to the Riesling.
Swirl the glass and you will see evidence of the wine’s viscosity.
Gewurztraminer: Aroma
Gewurz means “spice” in German. You will sense a great deal of spice on the nose (ginger, cinnamon, allspice). You will also smell exotic, tropical fruit–especially lychee, ripe papaya, and mango. Rosewater is often present.
It’s all here in the Pierre Sparr Gewurztraminer Grand Reserve 2017. I also smell pink grapefruit and honey.
Gewurztraminer: The Palate
The most noticeable element of this wine is the texture or “mouthfeel.” It is very round in the mouth. The sensation is akin to drinking tea with many spoons of honey. Very luscious. All the ripe tropical fruit aromas of the nose are here in the palate.
Gewurztraminer: Sweetness and Mouthfeel
There is 14.4 grams of sugar per liter. Experts consider the wine “off-dry” and not sweet. That said, the ripe fruit is overt and seductive. Alcohol is 13.5
Riesling: Color
The color is pale, with some gold highlights, and a slight green tinge.
Riesling : Aroma
Meyer lemon, lime, cherry blossom, honey, slightly unripe peach.
Riesling : Palate
More lime zest, unripe peach, and a sense of minerality. There is a great deal of bright, zesty acidity here as opposed to the more luscious mouthfeel of the Gewürztraminer.
Riesling: Sweetness and Mouthfeel
This is a dry wine (3.9 grams per liter of residual sugar). The wine has a more angular mouthfeel and the perceived length of finish is longer. Alcohol of a Riesling is typically less than a Gewurztraminer. This wine is 12% abv.
Gewurztraminer: Contrasting Other Aromatic Grape Varieties
As students learn more about the wines of the world, they might find more trouble identifying Gewürztraminer against other highly aromatic varieties like Muscat, Viognier, and Torrontes.
In the Court of Master Sommeliers, even students studying for the Advanced sommelier diploma must constantly test themselves on identifying the core differences between these aromatic varieties, especially if they contain residual sugar.
Riesling Vs. Gewürztraminer: Is there a Shortcut?
Organizers meant this sample tasting to compare a Riesling and Gewurztraminer from the same producer and vineyard in Alsace.
In this way they hoped it to limit the external effects of terroir, climate, and production methods.
Riesling Vs Gewürztraminer : General Differences
1. Riesling virtually always have much more acidity than Gewurztraminer. (Zesty acidity vs. flabby acidity.)
Riesling has more structure and definition than Gewurztraminer. Even at a similar high price point, you will feel the “firm” structure of the Riesling grape, and a long finish as it goes down your mouth.
2. In contrast, Gewurztraminer may be luscious and enchanting, yet it does not assert itself in the same way.
3. Riesling often have very ripe floral aromas of jasmine, fresh cut peach, and ripe apples, but the fruit aromas of Gewurztraminer are almost always more luscious and tropical (papaya, mango).
4. As a variety. Riesling almost always has a lime or Meyer lemon character. It is a key identifying factor. Gewurztraminer may have a hint of lime, but lush tropical fruit is more of a marker.
5. When tasting a high-quality Riesling, almost always you will have the perception that it will improve with age.
Even when a Gewurztraminer is from a top vineyard, one has a sensation that its seductive, luscious flavors give immediate pleasure.
Though I’ve tasted long-aged Gewurztraminers and they “hold” the test of time, they are typically not as enjoyable as in their youth.
When to Enjoy Gewurztraminer
I absolutely am a flag-waiving lover of Gewurztraminer. I try to keep a few bottles in my cellar for those moments when I have a craving for a delicious wine with a hint of sweetness.
As much as I love Gewurztraminer, it’s hard for me to have a second glass.
The first glass is so opulent and rich with its luscious fresh fruit and honeyed textures, I crave a wine with more structure and acidity, like a dry Riesling to follow.
That said, here are the best pairing opportunities for Gewurztraminer
- Pouring Riesling when you are outdoors in the sun and have many people to share that bottle is one of the best moments to drink it. You can enjoy Gewürztraminer as an apéritif, too.
- The luscious fruit and sweet aromas are a great way to kick off a sumptuous meal.
- To pair with Asian Food. Asian food—whether it’s takeout or a recipe you made yourself (see the recipe for Spicy Vegetable Tempura that follows) is a great way to enjoy the flavors of Gewurztraminer.
- To Pair with Salads and other Foods of Summer
People all around the world are enjoying salads year round. A Gewürztraminer is best with a salad with some fruit element. This could be a composed salad, like the traditional “Waldorf” salad that comprises lettuce, along with apples and raisins, to give it a hint of sweetness.
You can also add chicken to make it more of a major meal.
When to Enjoy Riesling
Riesling runs the gamut of many styles, so every moment is the right time for Riesling.
1. As an apéritif. A recent vintage Riesling is a great apéritif wine. It cleans the palate and can pair well with starters.
2. To accompany fish and seafood. Riesling is a superb wine to serve with fish and especially shellfish . With shellfish such as oysters, choose a crisp, dry Riesling. To pair with a dish such as sautéed scallops, you might venture for a slightly sweeter Mosel style (Kabinett) or even an aged Riesling.
3. Dessert. An aged Riesling with 40-60 grams of residual sugar (Kabinett or Spatlese) can pair with a very simple dessert of fresh berries accompanied by cream or meringue.
Other Brands of Gewurztraminer
Though I kept this post limited to the Riesling and Gewurztraminer wines from Pierre Sparr of Alsace, I feel compelled to add a favorite wine to this mix.
It is Domaine Ehrhart Vn D’Alsace Gewürztraminer 2010.
I found the honey and spice flavors of this wine entrancing. Though it had 28 g/L of residual sugar, the wine was not at all sweet.
I was curious. How did it get that sweetness? Some botrytized grapes in the mix? Some late harvest grapes? I wrote to the domaine to ask more details about it.
Corinne Ehrhart emailed me answers to my technical questions below:
Response from Domaine Ehrhart
Dear Marisa:
Our Gewürztraminer Herrenweg is our driest Gewürztraminer we has but also with a nice minerality
The most important in harvest time for us is the very good ripeness of the grapes and a good acidity – that is very important.
Every morning during the harvest Philippe’s father goes to the vineyard and takes different grapes from different plots and then we analyze which plot to will harvest.
For vinification we press slowly, and then we push down the temperature of the juice. Gewürztraminer goes fast in fermentation.
Our aim is to preserve the fruitiness.
We only use natural yeasts and stainless steel tanks without sulphites. We let the wine stay on their lees until in bottling (mostly July or August). We do lees stirring once or twice a month
The Pierre Sparr Recipe for Vegetable Tempura to Pair with Gewurztraminer
They designed this recipe to pair with the current vintage of Gewürztraminer wine.
Ingredients:
2 small eggs, beaten
1 cup water
¼ cup crushed ice
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dredging
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
Sesame or grapeseed oil, for frying
Mixed vegetables: asparagus, sweet potato (sliced), bell pepper (sliced), green beans, etc.
**
Salt and black pepper, TT
Lemon wedges, optional
**
Directions:
Heat oil in a deep pan to between 325 to 350 degrees.
Gently combine the eggs, water, ice, cayenne, chipotle, pepper and flour.
Do not over mix; the batter will be lumpy.
Lightly dredge the vegetables in flour.
Working in batches, dip the vegetables in the batter to lightly coat and immediately put them in the oil. Fry until crispy or lightly golden brown, no more than 1 to 2 minutes.
Drain the tempura on paper towels.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately with lemon wedges and your choice of dipping sauce.
**Recipe thanks to M. Sparr
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If you like this article you will like:
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About Author Marisa D’Vari
D’Vari contributes to Forbes.com, Financial Times, World of Fine Wine, Quarterly Review of Wine, Decanter Robb Report, San Francisco Chronicle, South China Morning Post, and more.
She holds the (WSET) diploma, Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers, a Certified Wine Educator through the Society of Wine Educators … to see it all, please click on bio
