ITEM:
TOTAL:
Wine Review

The Great Gewurztraminer Showdown

By Raymond Chan
Gewurztraminer has its spiritual home in Alsace in France, and without any doubt, the best examples have been coming from that region, unchallenged for many years. Very few areas in the world are producing versions that remotely come close to the Alsace wines, except those from New Zealand. The variety came to recognition with Denis Irwin’s Matawhero wine from the 1977 vintage being taken into Buckingham Palace. Since the, it has had its ups and downs, reflecting the difficulty with its propagation and consistency of yield and quality. Recent years have seen much greater consistency and quality as specialist winegrowers and makers have focused on the variety. We in New Zealand can obtain the aromatics, but fruit flavours and weight have not been so easy to achieve.

Alsace


Alsace has just under 15,000 ha of vines producing around 1.2 million hL of wine. Of that, 82.5% is Alsace AOC, 3.75% Alsace Grand Cru (from one of 50 favoured sites) and 13.75% Cremant sparkling. Following are the varieties with proportion of the vineyard and an indication of growth or decline in plantings over the last decade.

Gewurztraminer 17.6% constant (around 2,500 ha)
Riesling 23% increasing
Pinot Gris 10% increasing
Muscat 2% decreasing
Pinot Blanc 21% increasing
Sylvaner 14% decreasing
Pinot Noir 8.5% increasing
Chasselas 1% decreasing
Auxerrois <1% decreasing

New Zealand


Of the total 21,000 ha planted in New Zealand, Gewurztraminer is 280 ha or 1.3% of the total plantings Following are the plantings in each region and their proportion of the regional plantings:

Auckland 9.3 ha/525 ha 1.75% of Auckland
Waikato/Bay of Plenty 1.0 ha/150 ha 0.65% of Waikato
Gisborne 95 ha/1850 ha 5.1% of Gisborne
Hawke’s Bay 55 ha/4,600 ha 1.2% of Hawke’s Bay
Wairarapa/Wellington 2.7 ha/785 ha 0.35% of Wairarapa
Marlborough 70 ha/10,400 ha 0.67% of Marlborough
Nelson 26 ha/705 ha 3.7% of Nelson
Canterbury/Waipara 6.0 ha/895 ha 0.67% of Canterbury
Otago 12 ha/1150 ha >1.0% of Otago

The Tasting


We put Gewurztraminer performance under scrutiny at this tasting, to see if the New Zealand wines are matching those from Alsace yet. Seven wines from each country served blind, and tasters asked to identify their best as well as trying to identify the country of origin. Here are my notes on the wines tasted in the order of service.

Flight One


A flight with very different wines in style and quality. The last two being standouts. Tasters found it difficult to determine the origin of the wines.

Paul Blanck Alsace Gewurztraminer ‘Altenbourg’ 2004
13.5% alc. Blanck based in Kientzhein, NW of Colmar. The Altenbourg site near Furstentum. Pale straw yellow colour. Soft and full on the nose, but fresh and lively with a coolness of fruit. A little sulphide note. Medium-dry, with lush and juicy fruit flavours, lovely florals and delicate spices. The acidity is a little low, and the wine finishes with a little bitterness, but this has some richness. The third preferred wine of the flight by the group and thought by most to be a N.Z. wine. My score 17.5+/20

Corbans ‘Private Bin’ Hawke’s Bay Gewurztraminer 2004
13.8% alc., 8.0 g/L rs. Very youthful, pale straw colour. Very delicate florals, very clean and pure, modest depth on nose. Dry, with soft florals rather than spices. Subtle and with intensity. This is well proportioned and balanced, though on the smaller side. Equal least preferred of the flight though. Tasters found it difficult to identify the origin. My score 17.5-/20

Hugel Alsace Gewurztraminer ‘Hugel’ 2004
13.0% alc. Hugel based in Riquewihr, NW of Colmar. Very pale straw yellow. Some SO2 dominating the aromatics and giving a hardness to the nose. Dry, and more pure on palate with clean and simply expressed fruit. Typical rose florals, but the wine lacks richness. Equal least preferred and generally thought to be French. My score 17.0-/20
Montana ‘Terroir Series’ McLoughlin Block – Patutahi Gewurztraminer 2005
13.2% alc, 23 g/L rs. Quite pale straw yellow colour. Slightly sour and savoury florals and spices on nose, quite full and with depth. Quite heady bouquet. Medium, with luscious aromatic fruit characters, rich and juicy with good freshness and acidity. Flavours reckoned to be unvarietal. Rated fourth by the group and difficult for tasters to pick the origin. My score 18.0-/20

Schoffit Alsace Gewurztraminer ‘Cuvee Caroline’ Harth lieu-dit 2004
13.5 % alc. Schoffit is based in Colmar. The Harth site is on the plains NW of Colmar. Deepish light golden yellow colour. Very full, deep and aromatic nose, oozing creaming soda and lychees. Quite decadent and fat. Medium, and very rich, almost blowsy with massed of lychee and creaming soda flavours. Broad and decadent, but rich, luscious and juicy. Soft, lowish acidity and very forward. Easily the most preferred wine of the flight and thought to be a N.Z. wine by many. My score 19.0-/20

Stonecroft ‘Old Vine’ Hawke’s Bay Gewurztraminer 2005
13.5% alc. Some of the oldest Gewuztraminer vines in N.Z., around 20 y.o. Pale straw yellow colour. Very delicate and elegant nose, but with great purity of florals and incredible intensity with finesse. Dry, very fine textured, very elegant in size. Beautifully pure rose petals, yet with great intensity and concentration. Excellent firm, long finish. The second preferred wine of the flight, and origin not easily identified by the group. My score 18.5+/20

Flight Two


A more even flight, without the highlights or the style and quality variation extremes. Tasters found it easier in this flight to determine the origin compared to the previous flight.

Johanneshof Marlborough Gewurztraminer 2005
14.0% alc. Pale straw yellow colour. Slightly cooler fruit with a touch of sappiness. But still florals and perfumed of excellent intensity. Medium, with lovely honeyed floral and spices. A little warmth and blowsiness, but still with depth and acidity. Good richness through the palate and the finish is
clean and lingering. Easily the most preferred wine of the flight and generally identified as N.Z. My score 18.0/20

Albert Mann Alsace Gewurztraminer ‘Steingrubler’ Grand Cru 2004
13.5% alc. Based in Wettolsheim, SW of Colmar. Pale straw yellow colour. Tight, fine, almost minerally nose, still with a little SO2. Off dry, this is still tightly bound. The mineral edge gives tightness and tautness to the palate. Lightly honeyed, with florals and some spice. There is intensity. Good freshness and acidity. This will develop. The second preferred of the flight and origin not easily identified by the tasters. My score 17.5+/20

Montana ‘Terroir Series’ Riverpoint Creek – Matawhero Gewurztraminer 2005
13.0% alc., 29 g/L rs. From the vineyard purchased from Matawhero Wines. Pale straw yellow
Some New Products...
ESCARPMENT PINOT NOIR KUPE 10
Escarpment Pinot Noir Kupe 10
13.5% alc 12 year old vines from Escarpment’s Te Muna Road vineyard. 50% new oak 60% w...
$86.30 750 MLS
More...
ESCARPMENT PINOT NOIR TE REHUA 10
Escarpment Pinot Noir Te Rehua 10
14 %alc 21 year old vines from Barton vineyard. Mixture of clones. 30% new oak 40% whol...
$67.15 750 MLS
More...
MT HORROCKS RIESLING W/VALE 11
Mt Horrocks Riesling W/Vale 11
Light straw-green; a complex bouquet, with spice and citrus, then a multilayered palate wi...
$32.95 750ML MLS
More...
MT HORROCKS SHIRAZ 09
Mt Horrocks Shiraz 09
Bright, clear crimson-purple; the fragrant bouquet leads into a wonderfully expressive med...
$37.65 750 MLS
More...

1   
Staff Recommendations

DAVID

Easter weekend I flew up to Auckland and had a great time visiting family. I made sure I went to Maison Vauron, a must if you enjoy French wines and also Galbraiths to try a few craft beers.

RICHARD

Roast Chicken for dinner evidently. Which Kumeu River Chardy shall I choose?
Breaking News
16-May-2012 - RT @Wellington_JAG: One of the most amazing wine experiences of my life with @regionalwines & Christopher Canan tasting @DOMAINEGUIG ...
16-May-2012 - Absorbing read...the full gamut of emotions from envy to schadenfreude. Click Here
12-May-2012 - Free Mt Difficulty wine tasting starting in 10 mins. Plus we have 20 fill your own taps as of yesterday...great... Click Here
12-May-2012 - Free Mt Difficulty tasting starting in 10 mins until 4 pm today. We now have 20 beer taps too...gerat day to be... Click Here
View More...
Sign-up   below to be the first in the know on everything from tastings to specials...
Library Tasting: 1992 – 1994 Cabernet and Shiraz From Several Countries
Thursday 17th May, 6.00pm start, Cost $50.00 pp Limit 22 places. Upstairs Tasting Room, Regional Wines and Spirits, 15 Ellice St, Mt Victoria. Booking

Craggy Range 2010 Prestige Release with Steve Smith MW
Tuesday 22nd May, 6.00 pm start, Cost $30.00 pp, Limit 80 places Venue: The Boatshed, Taranaki St Wharf Bookings: With Regional Wines, Tel: 385-6952

Burgundy Tasting - Maison Drouhin 2009
Thursday 31st May, 6.00pm start, Cost $35.00 pp Limit 30 places. Upstairs Tasting Room, Regional Wines and Spirits, 15 Ellice St, Mt Victoria. Booking

Contact & Enquiries
Main Line: - 04 3856952

Orders Line: 04 3849735

Fax Line: 04 3828488

Hours: Mon – Sat 9am –10pm
Sunday & Public Holidays
11am - 7.30pm
Need Help?
Try our FAQ Section

If you can't find what you are after, give us a call or pop into the store!
People! Who we are
We're a talented mix of people who love what we do, and we've been doing it for over 20 years! Click here to find out more
Copyright © 2010 Regional Wines Limited
Website by: Slice Of HAM   Design by: Plastic Studio