Winemaker Notes
A complex nose of honeysuckle, quince and nutmeg with a touch of smokiness. A voluptuous and creamy attack which evolves towards notes of candied orange, rose petals, and the spiciness of green anise. The acidity and the minerality provide an elegant backbone and keep the wine very fresh from the beginning to the end.
Great on its own, as an aperitif, marries also beautifully with flavorful dishes like caramelized pork with Szechuan pepper and five spice roast duck, as well as with the exotic spices of Indian and Asian cuisines. Great accompaniment to foie gras and rich, strong cheese such as Munster.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Here is a radical reinterpretation of gewurz that is stunningly fresh and vital, but also has the richness and creaminess of the grape on the front and mid-palates. And as it opens up in the glass, the exotic fruit aromas unfurl and rose petals cascade. Then comes the astonishingly elegant and focused finish. Is it dry or is it sweet? Who cares? The main thing is that this is a wine for savory dishes.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Very clear, delicate and aromatic on the nose, with floral and tropical fruit aromas and spicy notes representing the clay and limestone soils of the terroir below the grand cru Furstentum, Weinbach's 2022 Altenbourg Gewurztraminer is a ripe, rich and concentrated, very intense yet also precise and zesty wine with great complexity and a stimulating, refreshing and spicy finish. This well-structured Gewürztraminer already drinks beautifully, especially with spicy dishes.
Gewürztraminer, an expressive and aromatically distinctive white grape variety, is considered a noble variety in the Alsace region of France, and produces wonderful wines in the mountainous Alto Adige region of NE Italy. Generally this grape grows well in cooler regions and its natural intensity makes it a great ally for flavorful cuisine such as Indian, Middle Eastern or Moroccan. Somm Secret—Because of a charming perfume and tendency towards slight sweetness, Gewürztraminer makes for an excellent gateway wine for those who love sweet wines but want to venture into the realm of drier whites.
Small but mighty, this picturesque region in northeastern France is renowned for its white wines produced by passionate families whose winemaking roots span generations and even centuries. Nestled between the Vosges Mountains and the Rhine River, Alsace benefits from a sunny, dry climate and a long growing season. It is one of the most geologically diverse regions in the world — one of the many reasons why Alsace rocks!
Alsace wines include dry, mineral-driven Riesling, earthy Pinot Gris, refreshing Pinot Blanc, exuberant Gewurztraminer, elegant Pinot Noir, and more. From traditional-method sparkling wines to easy-drinking AOC Alsace, to complex Grand Cru bottlings from 51 distinct sites, and rich, late harvest wines, Alsace produces a wine for every occasion. Most Alsace wines are single-varietal bottlings and are labeled with the grape name. The region is also one of the greenest wine-producing areas in France, with 36% of its vineyard area certified organic.
Riesling, the region’s calling card, is dry, fresh and floral in its youth, developing complex mineral and flint character with age. Gewurztraminer is known for its signature spice and lychee aromatics. Pinot Gris is prized for its combination of crisp acidity and savory spice as well as ripe stone fruit flavors. Pinot Blanc is an affable food partner or porch sipper. Pinot Noir, the only red grape in AOC Alsace, is now authorized in three Grand Cru areas and is also used for Crémant d’Alsace sparkling rosé. Any bottle you choose will offer deliciousness, pleasure and value that is unprecedented in other wine regions.