The German word Gewürz means “spicy,” and this white wine is known for its crisp, spicy characteristics. It’s a specialty of the French region Alsace — the area that buffers Germany and France — and is also produced in Germany and California. Gewürztraminer has a distinctively pungent, perfumy, yet clean flavor. It’s available in varying degrees of sweetness; the drier versions complement fish and poultry, the slightly sweeter styles are perfect for summer spritzers, and the sweet late-harvest versions make excellent dessert wines. Gewürztraminer is best when drunk fairly young because even the vintage versions won’t usually age well over 5 years.
