Coming up roses
A rich, opulent wine from the Alsace region from France
RICH, opulent, aromatic and exotic, Gewürztraminer is arguably the world’s most exuberant grape. A full attack on the senses, it announces itself immediately with its richly-scented perfume, not to mention the voluptuous body weight deployed to seduce your tongue. A wine that has earned the dubious accolade of being reminiscent of a tart’s boudoir, it boasts pungent notes, rose petals, rose water, lychees, face cream and spice. To some, ‘sickly’ (think Yves Saint Laurent’s fragrance Opium) and ‘blowsy’ are adjectives you are most likely to find when discussing this grape, yet to others it produces wine of incomparable character. The name is itself indicative of the flavour-driven profile of this wine, as the prefix ‘Gewurz’ actually means spicy in German.
It is at home in France’s cool climate Alsace that Gewürztraminer really shines and from where it has derived its reputation and fame. The cooler climate allows essential acids to form in the grape, which are vital to balance this potentially unctuous wine and to prevent it from becoming flabby and overblown, as opposed to luscious. It is the need to balance that can be so problematic for wine makers, certainly for those outside Alsace.
Gewürztraminer, as yet, has failed to reach the imagination of many wine drinkers around the world, with the result that it can be hard to sell and therefore not a popular wine to make. It is a Catch 22 situation because to market the wine more successfully an obvious option is to reduce the perfumed character so as to appeal to those who find it too ‘full on’. However, this results in alienating those drinkers who enjoy the heady, feminine wiles of this wine. Add the fact that the grape is fickle and hard to grow and it is all too easy to see why Gewürztraminer has largely been left to the experts in Alsace.
However, Gewürztraminer can be found all around the globe if you look for it.
The Alsace families of Dopff and Irion were already wine connoisseurs in the 16th century and have been closely involved with the fortunes of the village of Riquewihr throughout the ages. The firm Dopff and Irion was established when René Dopff joined fortunes with the widowed Madame Irion.
René Dopff distinguished himself in the Resistance, where he established a lifelong relationship with André Malraux. He was the first to have faith in the concept of ‘terroir’, restructuring the vineyard by dividing into five ‘Domaines’ or estates and planting each one with the most suitable grape variety.
The Domaines belonging to the Château de Riquewihr now cover 27 hectares and enjoy international acclaim. Recently the Riesling Grand Cru Schoenebourg 2002 has won the ‘Premier Gold Medal’ at the World Riesling competition; the Riesling Les Murailles 2003 has won Gold Medal as well.
Wine of the Week
2003 Dopff & Irion Gewürztraminer
In a recent dinner of my club at The Almyra hotel we had a chance to try a user-friendly wine from Dopff and Irion. This particular wine from Riquewihr has a less overblown style of Gewürztraminer, with a rich and flowery nose, acacia and rose along with spice, especially of pepper and cinnamon. Fruity reminiscent of quince, lychees and grapefruit. The palate is richly concentrated and most attractive with ripe stonefruit, some sweetness, good acidity and a good length. This wine served at 7ºC and is ideal with Japanese or Thai dishes, blue and strong flavoured cheeses the likes of Roquefort, Pont l’Evêque or Munster. Excellent also with smoked salmon.
Alsace’s Dopff & Irion is imported by Spectus Wine Merchants 25 370027
