Winemaker Notes
A kaleidoscope of aromas: rose petals, spicy blossoms of lilies, ylang-ylang, gardenia; ripe exotic yellow fruits such as cantaloupe, mango, passion fruit, lychee, citrus zest; spicy notes of dried herbs, ginger, saffron, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. Deeply aromatic, rich in body and essences, but with fine juiciness and salty minerality increasing with age, a nearly endless finish.
Nussbaumer is a truly fascinating food companion. It pairs well with antipasti of fish or smoked foods, ripe soft cheese, white meat, swordfish or tuna; ideal with shellfish and seafood, spectacular accompaniment to spicy Asian cuisine and creative spicy/aromatic creations such as combinations with mushrooms, Swiss chard, fennel, avocado, savoy cabbage, galangal, ginger, oranges, apricots, jams and fresh herbs like tarragon, rosemary, dill, thyme, bay laurel, chervil, saffron, mint or lemongrass which offer a wild interplay of aromas.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Elegant perfumes of lychee, white peach, ginger and roses, but it remains restrained and layered. This is not a sassy gewurztraminer blasted with aromatics that make you feel a bit too much. On the contrary, this is quite woven and refined, with naturally rendered, medium acidity that offers enough freshness to the round, flavorful palate. Medium- to full-bodied, sleek and generous with subtle glycerol sweetness and phenolics at the end. Lychee and orange blossom flavors to close.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Alto Adige Gewürztraminer Nussbaumer is a very perfumed wine with rose water, Persian spice, incense and exotic cardamom. Your senses are hyper stimulated thanks to the abundant perfumes of this wine, its heady pithiness and waxy end notes. Your food pairing possibilities include foie gras, salty snacks or poached pear. It's an unusual wine for special occasions.
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Wine Enthusiast
Lime pith, lemongrass, lemon verbena, white rose, peach and ripe melon...the list goes on and on as aromas fill the glass from this heady Gewürz. The palate is lush and full in body with an upfront floral note followed by ripe stone fruits and sweet and savory spices, finishing with a pop of acidity.
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Wine Spectator
Fragrant with jasmine and lime blossom notes, this creamy white is light-bodied and fresh, with lively acidity framing flavors of baked peach, lemon oil, mandarin orange peel and fresh thyme.
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.
A mountainous northern Italian region heavily influenced by German culture, Trentino-Alto Adige is actually made up of two separate but similar regions: Alto Adige and Trentino.
Trentino, the southern half, is primarily Italian-speaking and largely responsible for the production of non-native, international grapes. There is a significant quantity of Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Merlot produced. But Trentino's native and most unique red variety, Teroldego, while still rare, is gaining popularity. It produces a deeply colored red wine rich in wild blackberry, herb, coffee and cocoa.
The rugged terrain of German-speaking Alto Adige (also referred to as Südtirol) focuses on small-scale viticulture, with great value placed on local varieties—though international varieties have been widely planted since the 1800s. Sheltered by the Alps from harsh northerly winds, many of the best vineyards are at extreme altitude but on steep slopes to increase sunlight exposure.
Dominant red varieties include the bold, herbaceous Lagrein and delicate, strawberry-kissed, Schiava, in addition to some Pinot Nero.
The primary white grapes are Pinot grigio, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay and Pinot blanc, as well as smaller plantings of Sauvignon blanc, Müller Thurgau. These tend to be bright and refreshing with crisp acidity and just the right amount of texture. Some of the highest quality Pinot grigio in Italy is made here.