If you’re getting bored of the usual light white wines we often see served during the summer, it’s time for some Gewurztraminer. These more robust white wines are the perfect pair with grilled foods or spicy dishes of summer. Alsace Gewurztraminer has enough kick to match flavorful dishes while cooling down the heat factor.
One of Alsace’s most distinguished grapes, Gewurztraminer is so underrated and often misunderstood. The biggest misconception? That Gewurztraminer is always sweet. But that is just not the case! Ranging from dry to sweet with every level in between and beautiful, big aromas, a complex structure and flavor notes, it’s a white wine that is ready to play with so many different foods. Especially those foods that are hard to pair with most wines.
Whether you’re bringing wine to a barbecue, ordering spicy takeout or cooking a new recipe at home, take a bottle of Gewurztraminer along for the ride. Check out these pairing ideas to get you started!
Barbecue and Trimbach Gewurztraminer 2013 $22
This spicy, but dry Gewurztraminer with aromas of lychee will cut the smoky flavors from the grill. Try it with grilled pork and pineapple and let the wine play with the sweet and savory flavors. This is the perfect bottle to take to the next cookout you are invited to, even if you aren’t sure what will be on the menu.
Spicy Asian Foods and Meyer-Fonné Gewurztraminer 2016 $24
For spicy foods that are often hard to pair with wine, choose a Gewurztraminer with rich, round notes or a touch of residual sugar. This partifular bottle brings notes of honey and rose to each sip and balances out a dish like spicy Korean chicken wings. The sweeter wine cools things off and refreshes the palate after each finger-lickin’ bite. Write down this wine for football season and remember to pair it with your hot wings during halftime. If you’re anything like us, you know that just sticking to beer all of football season is beyond boring.
Pizza and Beck-Hartweg Gewurztraminer 2016 $20
How could such an interesting wine pair with a simple pizza? So easily! Basil, fresh burrata, ripe plum tomatoes and olives are made more vibrant and flavorful thanks to the fresh citrus and herbal notes found in this Alsace bottle. It’s pizza night on the patio, but taken up a notch.
Curry and Domaine Saint-Rémy Gewurztraminer Rosenberg 2014 $28
This particular Gewurztraminer bottle is elegant and comes with beautiful aromas of tropical fruits that end with a poke of spice on the finish of each sip. The bright notes and spice are a perfect pair to a flavorful fish curry. It’s a great match… crisp, rich wine with a creamy, spiced curry sauce. This wine is just the motivation you need to finally really master homemade curry!
