“There is a tavern in the town, And there my true love sits down, And drinks his wine with laughter and with glee, And never, never thinks of me.” Anonymous, There is a Tavern in the Town, st. 1.
Gewurztraminer is a fascinatingly spicy wine. The prefix, “Gewurz,” means spice in German. But the correct pronunciation of the wine is a mystery to many, with the “v” used by some, and the “w” used by others. Quite a punny conundrum. At the risk of sounding silly, it sounds like a nearly classic commercial for Das Auto.
Gewurztraminer had its coincidental genesis, to my awareness, in both Alsace, France (near the border with Germany), and in Germany. Its daring flavors dance with many spicy foods, especially Indian. It also plays beautifully with asparagus bathed in hollandaise sauce or, for the more daring, escargots in bracing garlic butter. Its snappy acids also relax wonderfully with rich cheeses on the patio, and the Alsations boldly pair it with their signature Choucroute, a haunting blend of their sauerkraut, spices, meat and sausage. That, they maintain, is a match made in heaven. Mein Gott – sehr gut!
All of my purchases for this column were made in the wine department at Sendik’s in Mequon, which is run by Kevin with the able assistance of Mike and Jack Shlimovitz. This, along with Consumer Beverage in Hales Corners, Downer Wines and Waterford wines, is one of the better shops in town. Each of my purchases cost fewer than $20 apiece, making them within range of most of us average types. As has been the case previously, I have graded them in my usual “A-“F” manner:
1. ’07 Lucien Albrecht Gewurztraminer – Alsace, France, $19.99: This winery was founded in 1425, and the wine showed hues of pale straw and had a dainty body. Its scented nose of flowers and lychee nuts was quite pleasant. On the palate, it showed light to medium body with nice complexity, lively acid and a long finish. Some notes of rose. B
2. ’08 Cuvee Anne-Laure, France, $15.99: Light color with medium body and a lightly fruity nose with whispers of almond. Elegant middle with light acidity and a slightly tart finish. Good for the price. A-
3. ’07 Sun Garden Gewurztraminer, Germany, $9.99: Light pale color with light/medium body. Scented with notes of lime and honey. Slightly spritzy middle with lively fruit. Nice finish. A-
4. ’08 Banyan County – Monterey, California, $10.99: Light color and medium body. Some lightly vegetal notes overlaid with a medium-intense nose of walnuts and perfume. Medium-intense middle finishing dry. Uninspiring, but a nice New World effort. B-
5. ’08 Hogue Gewurztraminer – Columbia Valley, Washington State, $10.99: Vanilla hue with a heavy body. Deeply brooding nose of walnuts with some hints of violets. A nice, rich middle is followed by a long, acidic finish, which was somewhat off-dry but had a nice, intriguing spice. A classic Washington State beauty! A-
Today’s winner was the ’08 Cuvee Anne-Laure from France, which barely bested its New World rival of Hogue.
Today’s Price/Value Champ was the Sun Garden, bound to please the pocketbook!
Cheers!
