The Alsace wine village of Bergheim (69 Haut-Rhin, Grand Est) holds an annual wine fair 20-21 July 2024 to celebrate a very Alsatian wine – the perfumed, spicy Gewurztraminer. It can often be found as a dry white wine, but perhaps it comes into its own as a dessert wine, late-harvested. It is a wine which can divide opinion, with detractors comparing its very perfumed smell with exotic fruits as being like a madame’s boudoir, but with little experience of such locales I could not possibly comment!
Many have thought it too overwhelming to match with food, but more recently it has proved to be an excellent match with spicy Asian dishes. The dessert wine vendanges tardives or selection des grains nobles can be very luscious, but can go well.
Gewurztraminer is one of the most important grapes varieties in Alsace, along with Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner and Muscat. Unlike other French wine regions the name of these grapes appears on the label. Alsace also produces a little red wine from Pinot Noir. and some very acceptable sparkling white – Crémant d’Alsace. Blends are usually labelled as Edelzwicker
For more info see Fête du Gewurztraminer
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