A Thanksgiving Alternative to Sauvignon Blanc
OK, Sauvignon Blanc drinkers, I’m calling you out. You may claim to covet the clean, refined, stone-slicked expressions of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, but you and I know that any Sauvignon Blanc will suffice. How else can I reconcile the popularity of the tropical, showgirl stylings of New Zealand SB? In fact, I recently opened a Sauvignon Blanc from Alto Adige that limboed out of the bottle like a full-blown tiki cocktail, with a hula blast of passionfruit and guava. So don’t tell me that you enjoy Sauvignon Blanc for its crisp, mineral qualities alone. There’s already lipstick on your lapel, so hop into the limo—I’m headed to the cabaret too.
Now that we can speak candidly, I’d like to talk about Gewürztraminer (geh-VERTZ-trah-mee-ner). There’s nothing about this grape that’s not exotic. Originally deriving from Tramin, in northern Italy, Gewürz in German, means “spice,” so Gewürztraminer translates to “that spicy grape from Tramin.” Although it has an Italian heritage, arguably its best expressions come from Alsace—the border region of northeastern France which has vacillated between French and German control for centuries. In style, Gewürztraminer can be vinified dry, off-dry, or fashioned into sweet dessert wines. And while most often consumed young, it can also take well to some aging.
Traditional tasting notes for Gewürz include lychee and rose, pink grapefruit, jasmine, and passionfruit. The finest expressions of Gewürztraminer I’ve experienced have been opulently luscious, luxuriously perfumed, dry, spicy, and mineral—almost as if not even wine, but some other category of sublime intoxicant. Because it’s so special, I often reserve it for the most pristine of days, or special occasions.
Which is why I’m writing about it for this Fall issue. Due to its idiosyncratic characteristics, Gewürztraminer is typically paired with spicy Asian foods, especially Thai. But here’s a little secret: Alsatian Gewürz is an exceptionally exquisite Thanksgiving wine. Think of all the autumnal spices accompanying your traditional holiday spread, and you’ll see why this will make for an ideal pairing. And I mean that with all Sancerre-ity …
